


Treasure

by m00n_rabbit



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Anxiety Attacks, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Knights - Freeform, M/M, aka the dragon au, dragon - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-13
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-09-17 00:40:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9296615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/m00n_rabbit/pseuds/m00n_rabbit
Summary: Yuuri is a disgraced knight looking for a way to redeem himself. Victor is a cursed prince living alone in an enchanted castle. The dragon complicates things.





	1. Chapter 1

Yuuri stepped through the gate of his family’s inn with a heavy heart and weary body. His armor weighed him down more than it had just a month ago. It sat uncomfortably tight across his stomach. While Yuuri felt completely changed by last five years that he had spent fruitlessly struggling to become a knight, everything about his home is the same as when he left it.

The cherry trees were blooming, exactly as they had when Yuuri had rode off to train in the capital. Yuuri could clearly picture his loyal steed, a brown gelding named Victory, waiting for him patiently in front of the small stable. There was no one in the yard, but the tired young man. A lump formed in his throat. He will never see Victory or hear his friendly whinney again.

The knight’s bitter thoughts were interrupted. A short plump woman bustled out of the front entrance, carrying a bucket towards the well, but stopped short. 

“Yuuri?” His mother cried.

“Hi, mom. Sorry, it’s been so long.” Yuuri choked out. A guilty smile tugged at his lips.

“Yuuri!” His mother repeated joyfully. He stumbled backwards as his mother leapt forward to embrace him, armor and all. The bucket was dropped forgotten at their feet. “Welcome home! Are you tired? Are you hungry? I’ll make you some of your favorite katsudon!” She pulled back and glanced around. “Did you already put Vicchan in the stable?”

Tears formed in Yuuri’s eyes at sound of Victory’s nickname. His family had worked so hard to buy him a proper mount. If only there was a place where he could hide from everyone, even his kind mother.

“I’m so sorry. I let everyone down.” Yuuri’s fists clenched at his sides. “Vicchan died. He fell and broke his leg before my last tournament. There was nothing I could do. Then I lost in the first bout of the competition. The arms master suggested that I needed to take some time off.” 

Yuuri had decided on his long journey back from the capital that he wouldn’t bother his family with the full truth. The death of Victory had taken its toll on Yuuri. After his dismissal performance in the tourney, the knight had suffered an emotional breakdown. The arms master had come across him at this inopportune moment and requested that Yuuri leave the court.

He watched his mother’s face to judge her reaction. There was not even the slightest bit of disappointment or blame in her expression, only genuine concern. Somehow that made Yuuri feel worse.

How could he have let down his family? Vicchan? His hometown, Hasestu?

He let his mother guide him inside as he surreptitiously wiped the frustrated tears away. For once, she did not insist that he remove his boots before entering. In the dining room, she gently pushed him down to sit on a cushion by a low table.

“I’m happy that you’re home. Wait here and I’ll make you some food.” She patted him on the head and bustled back into the kitchen.

Taking a few deep breathes, Yuuri composed himself and started the laborious process of removing his armor. The pieces of metal clanked loudly together. It was only then that Yuuri realized how very quiet it was.

He looked around the dining room, but he was surrounded by empty tables. It was strange. Hasetsu was a small town, but his family ran its only inn. There were usually a few customers. For that matter, Yuuri wondered, where are my father and sister?

When his mother returned, she set down a large steaming bowl of fried pork cutlet, mouthwateringly drizzled with egg, and served over a bed of onions and rice in sweet sauce in front of him. Yuuri was momentarily distracted as he took his first delicious bite. Nostalgia flooded through him. 

His mother’s cooking was the reason that their inn was still open. He had always looked forward to eating katsudon after a particularly difficult day of training with Minako. It had been his reward for doing his best.

Yuuri’s mother frowned as her son slowly ate. The misery was clear on his face as he worked his through the bowl of katsudon. Whatever was troubling him wouldn’t be easily fixed.

“Where are Father and Mari?” Yuuri asked, uncomfortably aware of his mother’s gaze. The woman’s usually jolly disposition became somber. She shifted back and forth on her cushion.

“Business is even slower than usual these days. It is everywhere in Hasetsu.” She admitted. “Your father has taken up some work at the fish market and your sister is a part-timer at a food stand. They won’t be back until later tonight.”

Yuuri was shocked. Had it really gotten so bad? He had been so wrapped up in his own misery that he hadn’t taken notice of the signs of hardship in the town.

“You’re here by yourself?” He asked incredulously.

“The inn won’t run itself and now you’re home, so I won’t be so lonely.” His mother teased.

Yuuri looked down at his bowl guiltily. He didn’t know what he would do. He had left the court in disgrace, but there was still a part of him that didn’t want to give up on his dream of knighthood.

“Is it alright if I visit the smithie?” Yuuri asked.

“That’s a wonderful idea.” She smiled. “I’m sure Yuuko and Takeshi will be happy to see you.”

Yuuri nodded. He put his armor in an out of the way corner. The only thing he took with him was his sword sheathed in its scabbard and tied to his belt. With a fond farewell from his mother, Yuuri walked out into Hasetsu.

 

He was strangely out of breath by the time he reached the blacksmith near the top of the hill. It had been many years since Yuuri had struggled up the slope. He massaged his stomach. It also had been many years since it was this rounded. The temptation of his mother’s katsudon certainly wouldn’t improve the situation either.

Yuuri ducked inside the smithy’s dark doorway.

“Hello! Is anyone here?” He called out. A young woman came out from the back and approached the counter. 

“Sorry, but we’re actually closed for-” As she came closer, her sweet voice faltered.

“Hello, Yuuko. How are you?” Yuuri smiled tentatively.

“Yuuri! Call me Yuu-chan, I’ve told you a hundred times!” The pretty woman’s eyes sparkled with humor even as she scolded her childhood friend. “What are you doing here? I thought you were a knight at the court.”

Yuuri frowned. “About that-” He began, but was interrupted as three young girls popped up from behind the counter. They stared at the young man intensely and then suddenly began speaking all at once.

“Did you really drop your sword after one blow at the royal tournament?” One asked.

“Is it true that you’re already 23 but not even betrothed yet?” The second inquired curiously.

“You’re a lot more cute and chubby than I expected a knight to be!” The last proclaimed.

Yuuko blushed, but it didn’t even begin to compare with how red Yuuri’s face was. He knew that Yuuko had children, but hadn’t expected them to have Nishigori’s straightforward personality. In a well practiced move, Yuuko put her hands on her hips and glared at her daughters.

“Girls!” She admonished. They looked entirely unapologetic.

“Hey! Where did all of my helpers go?” A large muscular man walked up behind Yuuri, wiping his soot covered hands with a rag that he tucked into his leather apron. Yuuri spun around.

“Nishigori?” He squawked. His other childhood friend and occasional tormentor looked Yuuri up and down before crushing him in an enthusiastic hug, making his biceps bulge even larger.

“Back again! I see you’ve met the triplets.” Nishigori laughed and slapped Yuuri on the back, making the smaller man stumble forward a step.

“Triplets?” Yuuri repeated.

“We’re identical!” Two of the girls shouted.

“Yeah, are you blind?” The other asked.

Yuuri laughed uncomfortably. “My last pair of glasses broke awhile back and they’re very expensive to replace. I can see well enough to get around though, just not detailed things.”

Nishigori shared a concerned look with his wife over Yuuri’s shoulder while he was occupied with the triplets. The knight looked worse for wear. Without saying a word, the couple agreed that Yuuri was out of sorts.

“No wonder you sucked at the tournament!” One of the triplets concluded.

“Who raised you to be so rude? Shoo!” Yuuko corralled her daughters back towards the stairs to their private rooms. The girls complained every step of the way.

“There are no other customer here. So if you want to train in the yard that’s fine!” Yuuko called back over her shoulder to Yuuri.

“Thanks.” Yuuri said softly. Nishigori rested a calloused hand on Yuuri’s shoulder and took him outside. 

“It’s good to see you. Do you want me to look at your sword?” He gestured to the scabbard at Yuuri’s waist. “I can sharpen and polish the blade for you.”

Yuuri nodded gratefully. He untied it from his belt and handed it to the blacksmith. Nishigori pointed over at one of his worktables. 

“There are some unfinished swords over there that you can use for practice until I’m done with yours.” He said and walked away, giving Yuuri some much needed space.

Yuuri approached the worktable. He ran his fingers across the dull blades. When he found one of a similar size to his own, he hefted it in his right hand. 

He walked out into the middle of the yard and stood there, sinking into the stillness of the moment. The tip of the sword rose without thought. Yuuri seamlessly stepped into the movements of a drill he had put together after being sent away from the court. 

Every shift of weight and swing of the blade was precise and decisive. The steel felt like an extension of his body. As Yuuri increased his pace, the sword and its wielder became a unified blur. Even as he panted, the corners of his mouth turned upward. This is why he had decided to be a knight. Yuuri felt most at home in his skin with a sword in his hand.

As his body tired, Yuuri began to wind down. Sweat dripped into his eyes. Finally he came to a rest, the sword held out in front of him.

The knight was brought out of his reverie by frantic clapping. The sword dropped to his side. He pushed his black hair off of his brow and blinked owlishly. 

“That was beautiful!” Yuuko exclaimed. She must have escaped from her daughters long enough to watch Yuuri’s practice. “I thought that you were totally depressed, but that was amazing!”

Yuuri flushed self consciously. “I was depressed, but it’s a really long walk from the capital. I remembered how much fun we used to have, pretending to fight dragons. So I just kept that in mind.”

“You could kill a dragon if you can swing a sword like that!” Yuuko cheered. Nishigori came out from the forge to join them, Yuuri’s sword in hand.

“Now that would be something, Yuuri.” The huge man teased. “Too bad no one has seen a dragon in over a century!” As Nishigori guffawed, his wife socked gave him a dirty look and socked him in the shoulder.

Yuuri ignored both of them in favor of examining his sword. It was deceptively thin. To the untrained eye, it might seem delicate. However, Yuuri knew that it could slice through anything with ease. After Nishigori’s polishing, the blade’s metal rippled like a stream in the sunlight. Yuuri’s dark brown eyes were reflected back at him as he sheathed the sword once more.

“With a blade like this, I could kill a hundred dragons.” Yuuri said. He shook Nishigori’s hand and thanked him. The blacksmith pulled his pouting wife into a hug, making both Yuuri and Yuuko grin.

“I guess you’ll have to find one first.” Yuuko said in mock despair.

“Are all the dragons really dead?” A triplet popped out from behind her parents. The other two were inexplicably at Yuuri’s sides.One reached up and took Yuuri’s empty hand. 

“We heard some people talking about a dragon at the market!” She said. The girl on Yuuri’s other side nodded in agreement.

“There’s a captive princess and a whole bunch of gold too!” The girls all jumped up and down excitedly. Yuuko shook her head, but smiled fondly at her daughters. 

“I think they were just telling tales. Look at the state of this town. Don’t you think everyone would know about a dragon with a hoard full of gold?” Yuuko asked them.

“I guess.” They all agreed mulishly. Yuuri could understand their disappointment. Meeting a dragon was his childhood dream.  
“I’d better go visit Minako before it gets too late.” Yuuri said. They all made their goodbyes. Yuuko invited Yuuri to train in the smithy’s yard whenever he liked, as if he hadn’t been gone for five years.

The disgraced knight was already exhausted, but he began his walk to Minako’s dojo anyway. Minako had trained him in martial arts from a young age, while he practiced swordplay with Yuuko and Nishigori at the smithy. She was a skilled and strict instructor who had traveled the world before settling back in Hasetsu. Yuuri knew that he wouldn’t have been half as successful without her lessons. He also knew that he would never hear the end of it, if he didn’t visit her right away. 

The dojo was empty when he arrived. Minako was absent. There weren’t even any students practicing in their spare time. He left feeling discouraged.

Hasetsu really was on the decline. Shops and homes stood abandoned, their occupants having sought out better opportunities closer to the capital. It was weirdly quiet.

On his return to the inn, Yuuri greeted mother before retreating to his room. His family had kept it waiting for him over all the years. While preparing for bed, Yuuri came across a small wooden dragon carving in a drawer. It had been a birthday present. 

As a young boy, he had been obsessed with dragons. Even as teenager, he had eagerly listened to tales of dragons and the knights that fought them. It was embarrassing to remember that he had wanted to become a knight in order to see a dragon himself. It hadn’t mattered to him that dragons had disappeared from the world. There were so many tales about knights meeting the great beasts that as a child he was sure that he would come across a dragon someday.

It had been a bitter disappointment when Yuuri realized that his dream was impossible. He grew up and moved on. Undeterred from becoming a knight, his love of the sword and genuine desire to help others had become his driving force.

Laying on the soft mattresses that he had spread on the floor, Yuuri curled up beneath a pile of blankets. It was all comfortingly familiar. The wooden dragon was clasped firmly in his hand as Yuuri drifted into sleep.

^.~.^

Yuuri’s mother merrily woke her son the next morning as she tidied his room. Yuuri sat up groggily and rubbed his eyes, watching his mother unseeingly. He shivered with cold as the blankets fell off him.

“It snowed! Come have some breakfast and then help shovel the entranceway.” She hummed and padded out of the room, some dirty clothes in her arms. Yuuri sat there, sleep addled. As soon as his brain caught up with the rest of him, he tumbled out of bed.

“But it’s Spring!” He called after her, scrambling to put on some clothes. After ungracefully tripping down the stairs to the ground floor, Yuuri poked his head out the entry way. A thick blanket of white snow covered the ground and cherry blossoms alike.

“What in the world?” Yuuri asked no one in particular. His breath formed a pale cloud in the cold air.

Turning back inside, Yuuri rubbed his arms to keep warm. When he entered the dining room he was pleased to see his older sister, Mari, already sitting at a table. She was serving herself from a spread of steaming dishes that their mother had prepared. He sat across from her and began to serve himself as well.

“Yuuri, long time no see.” His sister smiled faintly. Although Mari was laid back, Yuuri could tell that she was glad to see him. “Are you going to be helping around the inn, than?” She asked.

Yuuri stuffed some food in his mouth, giving him some time to think about what to say. His sister was always direct, so he really shouldn’t be surprised by her question. Even he wasn’t sure what he would do next.

“I don’t know.” Yuuri admitted.

“I’ll support you if you still want to be a knight, but things have been difficult here recently.” She said nonchalantly, taking another bite of her food.

Yuuri nodded guiltily. He knew it was selfish to continue to pursue knighthood, but it was even worse that he couldn’t her a definitive answer. All of his emotions and desires were muddled and confused.

He wanted to be a knight. But he had tried his best and it had ended in abject failure. What should he have done differently?

A pretty petite woman rocketed into the dining room, effectively ending Yuuri’s self reflection. She screamed his name and launched herself at him. Yuuri blanched as Minako put him in a chokehold.

“Minako!” Yuuri gasped, tugging ineffectively at her arms. Minako glared down at him unsympathetically.

“That’s Master Minako to you! What an ungrateful student to not even send word that you were coming home. Did you think you could avoid me?” She tightened the hold as Yuuri continued to flail.

“Master Minako, it’s wonderful to see you!” Yuuri’s mother appeared carrying another dish. “I swear you haven’t aged a day. Would you like some breakfast?”

“Hiroko, you’re looking quite well yourself.” Minako said sweetly without releasing her grip on Yuuri. “I would love to, but I have a matter that I need to discuss with my wayward pupil.”

Mari watched all of this occur with not even a lifted eyebrow. “If you want to talk with Yuuri, you might want to let him breathe soon.” She pointed out, but made no move to help her brother.

“I’m still upset with you.” Minako said petulantly and released Yuuri with a frustrated sigh. Yuuri was only free from his old teacher’s grip for moment before she pulled him up from the table and steered him out of the room.

“Master Minako! I haven’t even finished breakfast.” Yuuri complained. 

“I’ll save some for you.” His mother reassured him as Minako pulled him outside. She waved after them happily.

Minako dragged Yuuri all the way back to her dojo, refusing to explain herself until they arrived. She deposited him in the middle of the wide empty room. Yuuri forced himself not to nervously clasp his hands together as his old teacher circled around him.

“Is it true that you’re hanging up your sword? That you’ve decided to quit being a knight?” She demanded, staring into his eyes intently.

“No!” Yuuri responded instinctively. He gulped and looked away. “I mean, I don’t know yet.” Minako’s hand lifted his chin so their eyes met once more.

“Listen to me, Yuuri. You’re not done. I can see it in your eyes. So make up your mind, because I have a quest that only a knight can handle.” She challenged.

“What are you talking about?” Yuuri asked.

“There’s a rumor floating around town. Recently a few groups of ruffians have come through here on their way North. They weren’t particularly quiet. All of them were after the same thing!” There was a manic gleam in Minako’s eyes as she spoke.

“How is that related to a quest?” Yuuri wasn’t following Minako’s explanation at all. It sounded like the troublemakers had already left Hasetsu.

Minako spun around, producing a piece of paper from thin air. At least that was what Yuuri preferred to believe. The scrap was unceremoniously shoved into his face. Yuuri went cross eyed trying to make out what it was.

Taking a step back, Yuuri saw that it was part of a map. It was so old and brittle that Yuuri was afraid it might crumble apart. Yuuri squinted at the place where Minako was insistently pointing. Her fingertip rested in the middle of a forest. There was an illustration of a castle. Something curled around it.

“A dragon,” Yuuri said in disbelief.

“A dragon.” Minako agreed, her eyes darting back and forth as if to make sure no one could hear them.

“But I thought they were all gone?” Yuuri gently took the map from Minako. His own fingers traced over the fading ink.

“Apparently not this one.” Minako replied conspiratorially. “Imagine it. If you get there first, you can kill the dragon. You’ll prove yourself as a knight! The gold would save the town. Who knows, if there really is a captive princess, you may finally get betrothed.”

Yuuri blushed. “You want me to kill a dragon?” He exclaimed, pointedly ignoring Minako’s last jibe.

“You want to be knight?” Minako asked seriously. Yuuri nodded.

“You want to save the town? You want to rescue whoever the dragon captured?” As his old teacher spoke, Yuuri’s expression became more and more confident. He knew the answer to all these questions.

“Then, do you want to kill a dragon?” Minako concluded.

“Yes.” Yuuri said. His resolve was set. He knew what he needed to do.

“Take the map and start getting ready. I expect great things from you.” Minako patted him on the back and then pulled him in for a quick hug.

“Thank you, Master Minako.” Yuuri said. The map was carefully rolled up and tucked into his breast pocket. 

Yuuri left Minako at the dojo. He set off into the night with a new found conviction. It was crazy. It was foolish, but he would never forgive himself if he didn’t try.

^.~.^

Yuuri left three days later. It had taken longer than expected to put together a pack with the proper provisions. The merchants in Hasetsu had limited stock. 

As Yuuri had waited for his orders to be filled, he had carefully considered what this quest meant for his future as a knight. The turn out of this adventure would decide the outcome of his career. 

In his happier imaginings, Yuuri slays the dragon and returns triumphantly to Hasetsu. His honor is restored and the court welcomes him back as a worthy knight. However, he realized that it’s much more likely that there is no dragon. In that case, he would return home and hang up his sword. He very resolutely did not consider what would happen if the dragon was real and won the battle. That would a very permanent end.

Yuuri didn’t tell his family about his misgivings. They were excited for him, but also sad to see him leave so soon. The turn of events wasn’t extraordinary to them. Although they had always supported Yuuri, they didn’t really understand a knight’s duties. So it seemed reasonably plausible to them that their son was off on a quest to kill a dragon.

Unwilling to disillusion them, Yuuri left the inn with their well wishes. All he carried with him was his sword, the clothes he wore, and the pack on his back. He aimed to travel light, but the pack was heavier than expected. Yuuri suspected that his mother had snuck in some extra rations.

Without his armor, Yuuri could walk at a much faster pace. There wouldn’t be much use for it if he fought the dragon either. The armor would hinder the knight’s movement. With his luck, the dragon would breathe fire and cook him in place.

Over the next two weeks, Yuuri kept off the main roads. He didn’t go into town or stop at an inn. There were at least two other groups looking for the dragon. They had a good head start, but if they made a habit of stopping to drink in every town they came across Yuuri might be able to make up the difference.

It was not an easy journey. Everyday was a long unseasonably cold walk without any company, but for the occasional crow or squirrel. At night, Yuuri massaged his bruised feet and bandaged them before putting his boots back on. If it weren’t nearly freezing, he’d leave them off.

His journey from the capital to Hasetsu had been effective training. Although his body ached, Yuuri was used to it and continued despite it. His only hope was that his body would hold out long enough for him to confront the dragon.

He slept out under the stars, wrapped in a thick blanket. The bulky pack was his pillow. Perhaps that was why most of his dreams became anxiety driven nightmares. His brain detailed the many visceral ways in which a dragon might dispatch a puny knight. Those he could understand.

His guilty conscious sometimes made him watch as his family was forced to sell the inn and live on the street, still waiting for their son’s return. The most disturbing of his dreams were the ones in which a human figure sat silently in a golden cage. Yuuri could never see them clearly, but for some reason he was sure that they were crying.

Eventually the travel weary young man reached the edge of an evergreen forest. The dragon and the castle laid somewhere at its center, according to the map. Yuuri felt trepidatious, walking further into the trees and farther away from the open air.

There was snow that had not yet melted resting on the boughs of the trees. The sun occasionally broke through the dense needles, letting light stream through to the forest floor. Yuuri’s uneasiness was soothed away by the scent of pine. It was quiet, but in a tranquil sort of way.

It was the most peaceful place that Yuuri had ever seen. He could understand why anyone, dragon included, would decide to make this forest their home. A small part of him genuinely hoped that there was no dragon. It would be a shame to disturb such serenity with violence.

He spent three days in the forest looking for the castle or any sign of the dragon with no success. On the morning of the fourth day of his search, Yuuri took stock of his supplies and realized that his food wouldn’t stretch far enough to see him to the nearest town.

He had no more luck that day then on the previous three. 

On the fifth day, Yuuri weighed his options. His pack was almost empty. There was just enough food that he could make it out of the forest. His body was sore. The unsettling dreams left him sapped of energy.

But more importantly, Yuuri Katsuki was stubborn.

He refused to give up. So rather than making the wise decision and admitting defeat, Yuuri choose to take a risk. His search continued.

There’s a saying in Hasetsu, if you don’t enter the griffin’s nest, you cannot get its eggs. That is to say, there is no reward without risk. So to was Yuuri’s risk rewarded as he stepped out of the forest later that day.

A pale and glittering castle stood before him. He stepped cautiously onto the steps that led up to the castle’s main entrance. The entire structure was built from pearlescent stone that Yuuri had no name for. His ascent was carefully silent so as not to disturb the dragon if it was nearby. 

Once at the top of the staircase, he couldn’t help stopping to stare. There was a large courtyard between him and a set of tall doors. In the middle of it was a fountain, but no water flowed from it. It was frozen solid, sparkling like crystal in the sun.

Rather than walk across the unprotected yard, Yuuri skirted along the tall wall that surrounded it. He kept to the shadows. Only when he reached the doors did he step out into the open.

He rested a hand lightly on one of the wide heavy doors and wondered how much noise it would make if he were to force it open. With that thought, the door swung open soundlessly. Yuuri just managed not to whimper in shock.

Screwing up his courage, Yuuri took a step inside. The door closed behind him just as quietly as it had opened. Yuuri resisted the urge to test if the door would let him back out. At this point, escaping from the castle was relatively low on his list of concerns.

Somewhat disappointingly, there weren’t piles of gold in the entrance hall, just stone pillars and frost. There weren’t any signs of a dragon either. Although the doorway Yuuri had come through was certainly big enough for such a creature.

Several passages led away from the entrance hall. Yuuri made his way down one of the smaller ones, hoping to avoid coming across the dragon unexpectedly. He clenched his jaw to keep his teeth from chattering. It was almost colder inside the castle than it was outside.

After wandering around for what felt like hours, Yuuri was convinced that the castle was abandoned. It just felt vacant, like the empty shops and homes in Hasetsu. If a dragon had ever lived here, it must have been a long time ago. 

Just when Yuuri had given up hope, he turned to walk down another hallway intending to head back to the entrance. It looked the same as all the others had without his glasses; Except for the light that shone out from the bottom of one the doors further down. Yuuri painstakingly eased himself along the wall to the door. Using all of his stealth, Yuuri eased open the door and peeked inside.

What he saw made him gasp audibly. A pale graceful figure with silver hair so long it brushed their bare ass, rose up from an enormous tub. Water trickled down their body as they turned around. Piercing blue eyes met Yuuri’s own.

Yuuri fell backward in shock. All the blood in his body rushed to his face, turning him beat red in seconds. Had he just spied on the captive princess as she bathed? He moaned, utterly mortified, as he heard footsteps coming closer.

The door was pushed completely open revealing the body Yuuri had barely glimpsed in all its nude male glory.

“You’ve got a pri- I mean- you’re not a princess.” Yuuri stuttered, struggling not to stare at the obvious parts of the stranger’s body.

The beautiful stranger let out surprised laugh. Yuuri was too busy trying not to gawk to feel bad for being laughed at. The man held out his hand, offering Yuuri help off the floor.

Yuuri stared at the hand, unsure what to do with it. The tall lithe man waited a only a moment before becoming impatient with Yuuri’s hesitancy. He reached out and grabbed one of Yuuri’s hands, pulling him to his feet. Yuuri only just managed to find his balance before falling face first onto the man’s naked chest.

The stranger took a step back and cocked his head, looking Yuuri up and down. Yuuri was dizzy with it all. In that moment, Yuuri felt more exposed with his clothes on than the man who stood nude in front of him.

“So you’re here to save me from the dragon?” The man asked finally, running a hand through his wet silver hair. His voice was rich and smooth, but his words were oddly accented. 

Yuuri couldn’t help but feel like the man found his presence amusing. He shuffled awkwardly, pinned by the stranger’s cold blue eyes.

“Yes, I’m here to kill the dragon.” Yuuri replied uncertainly. The man smiled down at him, but for some reason it made Yuuri shiver. Although this handsome stranger appeared to be friendly, underneath it all was an undercurrent of ice.

“You can’t.” The stranger said and retreated back into the room. “Definitely not anytime soon.” He waved a hand dismissively and pulled on a robe.

Yuuri inched into the room, not so easily dissuaded from his quest. He was out of his depth. He would rather have it out with the dragon than converse with such a gorgeous man.

“What do you mean?” Yuuri asked, determinedly ignoring the speed of his heartbeat.

“Exactly what I said. You can’t kill the dragon. It’s not here right now.” The man replied. Yuuri thought that it almost sounded like a teasing. Sitting on a stone bench, the man began to comb his hair. He glanced at Yuuri though his long eyelashes.

“Isn’t that a good thing?” Yuuri exclaimed. “We can escape while it’s gone.”

“You want to steal from a dragon?” The stranger asked incredulously. He shook his head and let out an amused chuckle. “You are just full of surprises.”

“I’m just trying to help.” Yuuri huffed.

“The dragon knows wherever I go. It’s the same with his treasure. You don’t want an angry dragon to follow us, do you?” The man explained.

Yuuri grimaced. “No, innocent people could be hurt. So you and the gold are cursed?”

“Yes, something like that.” The other man agreed, sounding lighthearted about the entire situation. Just what kind of captive was he?

“Are you actually a prince?” Yuuri asked, although he was sure that only royalty could be so confident and nonchalant in a situation like this. This man was probably kidnapped on a regular basis, Yuuri thought, given how handsome he was.

“Yes, I’m Prince Victor. What is the name of the valiant knight come to rescue me?” Victor smirked.

“I am Yuuri Katsuki.” Yuuri stammered.

Victor stared at him for a moment, a small genuine smile flitted across his face. It disappeared quickly, replaced by a wide grin.

“There was another knight named Yuri here a few months ago, but he didn’t last long.” Victor said.

Yuuri gulped. “Didn’t last long?” He repeated.

Victor’s expression tightened. “Yes. I quite liked him, but he got tired of waiting for the dragon. He left after a week or so.”

Yuuri actually felt a little sorry for the prince. It must be lonely to live in alone in an enormous castle. “So he just left you here?” He asked.

Victor flipped his hair over his shoulder. “I don’t blame him. He had a short temper. The young are always in such a hurry. He would have gone mad with boredom waiting for the dragon.”

Yuuri suspected that Victor was hurt to be left behind, but he didn’t want to push it. “So I’m in for a long wait.” Yuuri concluded.

“Only if you want to!” Victor said cheerfully. “Although with the shape you’re in, I’m not sure if it’s worth the bother. You look more like a tasty snack than a dragon slayer.”

Yuuri choked on his own breath. He knew that he should be offended, but Victor’s voice was pleasant and his smile wasn’t judgemental. It was as if he had merely stated an obvious fact.

It was disheartening to think that the prince already doubted Yuuri’s ability to save him. Especially since Yuuri doubted himself to begin with.

Unable to deny Victor’s assertion, Yuuri said only what he knew was true, “I’ll stay."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I swear this is inspired by a prompt on the kinkmeme, but I can't find it??? I've been writing this since Christmas and frankly I don't know if it's any good orz It's unbeta'd as well...
> 
> It was a lot of fun to write ^///^ I expect to update weekly since I'm just polishing it up at this point :)


	2. Chapter 2

_Last time: It was disheartening to think that the prince already doubted Yuuri’s ability to save him. Especially since Yuuri already doubted himself to begin with. Victor watched as Yuuri struggled to respond._

_Unable to deny Victor’s assertion, Yuuri said only what he knew for sure, “I’ll stay.”_

Victor approached Yuuri and settled a graceful hand on his shoulder. “Suit yourself. You’re welcome here as long as you like.” He leaned down, nuzzling his nose in Yuuri’s black hair.

“What?!” Yuuri yelped and shot backwards out of Victor’s grasp. He clutched at the front of his shirt. It felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. Victor’s sudden nearness made him inexplicably nervous.

While Yuuri caught his breath, Victor stared at him amusedly. “You smell. If you’re going to stay, get in the bath.” He stood there expectantly, as if Yuuri would hop into the bath that instant.

Victor’s frankness was only slightly less shocking to Yuuri the second time around. Did the prince know how rude his words were, despite his friendly tone? Although Yuuri certainly wouldn’t argue with the prince. 

Not to be polite, but because he knew Victor was right.

Yuuri grimaced. After walking all the way from Hasetsu, his body odor was stronger than usual. Honestly a bath would be refreshing. 

“Alright,” Yuuri capitulated. He waited for Victor to leave or turn around, but the prince made no move to do either. With a sigh, Yuuri resigned himself to Victor’s presence and pulled off his shirt.

Even if Yuuri was more plump than usual, he wasn’t body shy. Living at the inn and training to be a knight had exposed him to many bare bodies. Nudity had never been a source of embarrassment for Yuuri, but as he stripped off his clothing in front of Victor he felt weirdly self conscious. The taller man was absurdly fit for a prince held captive by a dragon, not that Yuuri really had any criteria to judge him by. 

Seeing that Yuuri was doing as he was told, Victor beamed. “The water is still warm. I’ll go find you some clean clothes.” With a wave, the prince left the room and closed the door behind him as Yuuri stepped into the bath.

Yuuri relaxed into the hot water. The tub was deep enough that he could submerge all of his body beneath the water. He closed his eyes and let his head tilt back to rest against the lip of the tub.

What was he going to do? Instead of finding a fearsome dragon and a thankful princess, Yuuri had discovered an empty castle and an unconcerned Victor. He acknowledged that the odds that he could kill the dragon were slim. His desire to help his hometown and regain his honor as a knight had propelled him this far, but there were real consequences if he failed now.

Without the dragon’s treasure, Hasetsu would dwindle, leaving more people than just Yuuri’s family destitute. Yuuri moaned in frustration and rubbed the top of his head where Victor had scented him. That was an entirely different problem.

Even though the handsome prince seemed unaffected by his captivity, Yuuri couldn’t just leave Victor as others had before. Perhaps the man had simply become used to living alone. Without no expectation of rescue or companionship, it would be little wonder that the prince was resigned to it all.

There was really nothing for it. Yuuri would wait for as long as it took for the dragon to arrive. He couldn’t give up when the hopes of so many depended on him.

When the water started to cool, Yuuri got out of the bath feeling fortified in body and mind. There was a fluffy towel folded neatly on the floor within easy reach. Yuuri vigorously dried himself off, staving off the castle’s pervasive chill. Peering around, Yuuri realized that his dirty clothes had disappeared. A clean set was on the bench that Victor had sat on.

The young man looked around, but there was no sign of Victor. How had the prince managed to put them there? Yuuri was tired, but he was sure that he would’ve heard the prince return. It was almost like magic.

Yuuri chuckled softly and got dressed. The new clothes fit almost as if they had been made for him. They were thick and warm. 

Rubbing the material of his shirt between his fingers, Yuuri realized that the bath water had been suspiciously hot as well. But it was unlikely that the prince could perform magic, Yuuri told himself. Otherwise Victor would have broken the dragon’s curse and left long before Yuuri arrived.

The knight opened the door and poked his head into the hallway. He called Victor’s name, but no one replied. With some trepidation, Yuuri set out to find the wayward prince. 

It only took a few turns down several hallways before Yuuri was lost. At times like these, he really did wish that he could afford a new pair of glasses. The halls all looked the same without any definition to guide him.

Just when Yuuri was prepared to give up all pretense of composure and start shouting Victor’s name, the prince appeared at the top of the staircase that Yuuri was climbing. He was finally wearing proper clothes, a pink jacket with golden braiding and black trousers. Upon closer inspection, Victor’s white shirt was cut in a low v that revealed his collar bones.

Yuuri had never seen anything like it, although it suited Victor quite well. The knight wondered that the prince didn’t seem cold. The man’s pale complexion and silver hair certainly weren’t native to this country. Wherever Victor came from, Yuuri reasoned, it must be cold. 

“Yuuri!” Victor pouted. “I prepared your room awhile ago. What took you so long?”

Yuuri heaved himself up the rest of the stairs. “How was I supposed to know the way?” He grumbled.

“Did you not see the note I left for you?” Victor asked, the incredulity all to apparent in his tone. Yuuri winced. He hadn’t seen a note and even if he had, it would have been impossible to read it without his glasses.

“Sorry, I must have missed it.” Yuuri apologized. Even with his poor vision, Yuuri could tell that Victor was unimpressed. The prince huffed and turned around. He set off without a glance behind, assuming that Yuuri would follow him. The only thing Yuuri could do was pick up his pace, so as not to be left behind Victor’s longer strides.

They passed through several more corridors until Victor stopped in front of an open doorway. He bent slightly at the waist and held his hand out, “Guests first.”

Yuuri shuffled awkwardly past the prince. He honestly couldn’t tell if the Victor was mocking him or had foreign manners. However, any thoughts of mockery disappeared when Yuuri entered the luxurious room beyond Victor’s outstretched hand.

There was a fire burning merrily in the grate of an enormous fireplace. The stone floors were cushioned by soft carpets. Tall windows overlooking the courtyard allowed the last rays of the setting sun to softly illuminate the space.

A large four poster bed tempted Yuuri to lay down and sleep, regardless of Victor’s presence. His pack that had disappeared along with his dirty clothes was set on top of an old wooden chest by the foot of the bed. Near the bank of windows, there was a table and two upholstered chairs.

However, Yuuri was distracted from his longing for sleep by the scent of food that wafted through the air. A generous meal was set out on the table and Yuuri had been living of off tasteless rations for weeks. He clutched his stomach as it audibly grumbled.

It was with some difficulty that the starving knight forced himself to mind his manners. Yuuri turned to look at Victor, “This is amazing! Thank you.” He sincerely meant it, even if he was preoccupied by the promise of a warm meal and a soft bed.

The prince’s eyes sparkled with genuine amusement. “You are most welcome, Yuuri. I realize you must be tired, but may I join you for dinner?” He asked.

Yuuri nodded, “I would like that.” Even if he was exhausted, Yuuri was reluctant to let Victor leave so soon. He had so many questions.  
They sat across from each other. The table was large enough to hold many dishes, but small enough that Yuuri had to be conscious not to brush his feet against the prince’s. Victor began to serve himself and Yuuri followed suit.

Both of their goblets were already filled with wine. They ate in silence for awhile. Yuuri’s focus was centered firmly on his plate, only when he was almost uncomfortably full did he lean back and look up.

Victor was staring unabashedly at him. He looked completely mesmerized, although Yuuri had no idea why. The prince was cast in the shifting light of the fire, a handsome mysterious man.

Yuuri stared down into his wine cup, looking for a reason that the prince might be looking so intently at him. However, his reflection held no answers. He surreptitiously wiped his mouth with a napkin, maybe he had food on his face.

“So, Yuuri,” Victor crooned his name, “Why have you come to kill the dragon?”

Yuuri pushed the food around on his plate for a moment. The truth was embarrassing to admit, but he felt that Victor would know if he lied. At this point, the prince didn’t seem to think much of him anyway. So there wasn’t much to lose.

“Mainly to help my hometown, Hasetsu. It wasn’t always poor, but things have been getting rough. My family owns an inn there, but my father and sister have had to take on extra work. The dragon’s hoard would help everyone.” Yuuri explained.

Victor hummed thoughtfully. “So you want to be a hero? Save the town and your family? What noble ambitions!”

“It’s not noble.” Yuuri admitted. “My family and my town supported me when I wanted to become a knight. I promised myself that I would repay them all, but I haven’t been able to do a single thing for them. I say that I’m doing this for them, but I’m doing it for selfish reasons as well.”

Victor leaned forward, even more intrigued than before, but Yuuri didn’t notice. The knight was too caught up in his own thoughts to see the prince’s reaction. Yuuri took a large swallow of wine.

“To be honest, I’m a failure. I was sent away from the court to avoid public disgrace. But...” Yuuri trailed off. He hadn’t told anyone this. His feelings were a wild tumult trying to flood his mouth.

A cool touch on his clenched fist forced Yuuri to refocus on the world outside him. The prince had reached across the table to comfort the distressed knight. Victor’s hand rested on top of Yuuri’s own, a steady bracing presence.

“But?” Victor prompted.

“But I can’t give up.” Yuuri said. “I want to be a knight, it’s what I’ve worked for my entire life. It’s selfish, but if I can finally support everyone like they supported me in the past, then I can continue to be a knight. If my quest fails, then I will hang up my sword for good.”

It went without saying that if his quest was unsuccessful, it would be far more likely that Yuuri would be dead. The dragon was not likely to be merciful. In that case, his sword be retired in a very permanent sense. 

“I don’t think being selfish is a bad thing.” Victor replied, his tone inscrutable. “Afterall, I am a very selfish creature.” His grip tightened, before he let go of Yuuri’s hand and stood up.

“It’s late and I’ve kept you up. Please, take some time to rest. We’ll talk more tomorrow.” The prince made his way to the door before Yuuri could speak a word of protest. The knight was left speechless as Victor left the room.

Yuuri stared at the door, unsure of what had just happened. The prince had left so abruptly, had something Yuuri said upset him? For that matter, why did Victor think that he was selfish? So far he had been direct to the point of rudeness, but otherwise seemed to be generous.

A wide yawn threatened to crack Yuuri’s jaw. He put aside the conundrum of the prince until after he got some sleep. A cursory look around the room did not reveal any sleep clothes. Deciding to worry about that later as well, Yuuri wearily opened his pack to check that everything was still there.

The contents were just as he had left them, except somehow the small wooden dragon had come to rest at the top. Yuuri had been compelled to bring the carving with him from the inn. During his journey here, Yuuri had spent many hours holding it like some sort of talisman to ward off his anxiety and self doubt. Just looking at it was calming.

Yuuri climbed into the wide unfamiliar bed fully clothed, dragon in hand, and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

^.~.^

The smell of bacon is what finally brought Yuuri out of his deep sleep. The comfortable cocoon of blankets that surrounded him tempted the knight to doze awhile longer. However, something sharp was poking uncomfortably into his side.

Reaching down to remove the offending object, Yuuri grasped the familiar wood curves of his dragon. As the smooth wood grain brushed against his skin, Yuuri remembered everything that had happened the night before.  
He sat up abruptly and rubbed his eyes, eager to see that it hadn’t all just been a dream. Bright morning sunlight from the windows that overlooked the courtyard made Yuuri squint. Everything was it had appeared last night, even the table was once more laden with food.

The only thing missing was Victor.

Yuuri looked at the two empty chairs. Even if the prince wasn’t here, at least it seemed highly unlikely that Yuuri’s imagination could’ve created someone like Victor. He sat down and began to eat, a little disappointed that the prince wasn’t here to eat with him.

As he lifted the teapot to pour himself a cup, Yuuri found what looked to be a note that had been set beneath it. He set the pot down and picked up the small piece of parchment, holding it up close to his face in an effort to read the loopy handwriting. 

No matter how much Yuuri willed his eyes to focus, the words remained illegible. He barely resisted the urge to crumple it up. At this rate, Victor would think him dumb as well as dragon bait.

With no idea what Victor had wanted to tell him, Yuuri continued his breakfast. He ate mechanically without any real enjoyment, preoccupied with his own gloomy thoughts. When he was done, Yuuri stood up with the intention of going to find the prince, but hesitated.

The empty dishes sat on the table. 

Who would take them away? For that matter, where had the plates from the night before gone? Had Victor cleared them away this morning and brought up food for Yuuri while he still slept?

Determined not to be any more of burden to the prince, Yuuri cleared the table and set off in search of the kitchen. It wasn’t any trouble for Yuuri to balance the tall pile of dishes. He had plenty of experience from when he had helped run the inn.

In his desire to help, Yuuri had forgotten a rather important detail. The castle was just as unfamiliar as it had been yesterday. He walked down hallway after hallway, poked his head into deserted room after deserted room, but he had no luck in finding the kitchen or any area that even looked to be recently inhabited.

After awhile his arms began to ache with the weight of the dishes. Yuuri paused, trying to decide whether he should turn left or right. Not that it hardly mattered either way. He let out a weary sigh. It would probably be best to retrace his steps rather than become even more thoroughly lost.

Except, when Yuuri turned around, the way back was blocked by a firm chest. Yuuri ran into Victor plates first. The surprised knight was knocked down, the dishes shattering on the stone floor around him.

In opposite of the prince’s silent arrival, the china made a tremendous noise as it broke. Yuuri winced and instinctively held up his hands to shield his face. Once the clatter had ended, Yuuri looked up in mortification at Victor’s annoyed expression.

“Why were you carrying these around?” Victor asked exasperatedly. He snapped his fingers. The remains of the dishes disappeared as if they’d never even existed.

“You’re a sorcerer?” Yuuri gaped.

“Don’t be silly.” Victor said petulantly. “Did you really think that a dragon would live in a normal castle? Obviously, it’s enchanted.” He crossed his arms, not bothering to offer Yuuri any help. “More importantly, this is the second time you’ve ignored one of my notes. I’m starting to feel neglected, Yuuri.”

Yuuri sat on his heels and met Victor’s accusing gaze. The prince was intimidating, but Yuuri’s own frustration gave him confidence. “I didn’t ignore it. I couldn't read it.” Yuuri said.

Victor froze for a moment and then his eyebrows lifted in disbelief. “You can’t read? Don’t all knights learn how to?”

“I know how to read!” Yuuri snapped. “I just can’t see anything without glasses. My last pair broke about a year ago and I haven’t been able to afford replacements.” The knight levered himself off the floor, too insulted to be ashamed about admitting how poor he was. 

“You mean that you travelled all the way here while half blind?” Victor asked incredulously. Yuuri nodded and began to brush himself off, just in case some of the splinters of china hadn’t been magicked away.

“Amazing!” Victor exclaimed. Yuuri was caught off guard as the prince embraced him. “I underestimated you. I had no idea that you were so hard headed!” Victor laughed delightedly and ruffled Yuuri’s hair.

Yuuri stiffened, still not used to how tactile Victor was. Although, the feeling of Victor’s hand brushing through his hair did help Yuuri to calm down. Yuuri closed his eyes and let out a sigh. He reached up and took Victor’s hand in his own.

“Should I take that as a compliment?” Yuuri asked. Victor hummed in agreement. His long cool fingers laced with Yuuri’s own.

The interlocking of their hands was so distracting that Yuuri didn’t offer any resistance as the prince started down the hall, pulling the knight behind him. At this point, Yuuri reasoned with himself, he really shouldn’t be taken aback by the prince’s lack of personal bubble. Living alone for so long must make the prince seek out physical contact whenever possible, especially if Victor had no idea when his company would decide to leave.

As this thought occurred to Yuuri, his own callused fingers returned Victor’s grip. If Yuuri was honest with himself, he didn’t really mind. Victor’s touch was equal parts confusing and comforting.

“Where are you taking me?” Yuuri asked.

Rather than reply, Victor came to a stop in front an enormous set of doors. They were just as large as the main entry doors, but these glittered like diamonds. Cold seeped out from them, sending a shiver down Yuuri’s spine.

“Ice?” Yuri breathed out in awe. Victor squeezed Yuuri’s hand before releasing it.

“That’s not all,” Victor winked and then pushed the doors apart as if they weighed nothing. Yuuri’s footsteps echoed as he slowly entered what appeared to be a cavernous ballroom.

An ice chandelier cast magical light over piles of treasure. Yuuri could hardly believe his eyes. There were chests overflowing with gold and jewels. Not only were there heaps of treasure, but sporadic towering piles of books and fine clothes were haphazardly strewn everywhere. Ornate armor and weapons glinted out from the jumble.

“Like what you see?” Victor teased, coming up behind Yuuri.

“It’s-” Yuuri paused and shook his head. 

Victor walked out in front of him and spread his arms wide.“Impressive, isn’t it?” Victor encouraged. Yuuri blinked. He felt disoriented from all the shiny objects reflecting light whichever way he turned.

“It’s a mess.” Yuuri concluded. Victor stopped. He spun about so quickly that Yuuri almost didn’t see it.

“I show you a collection of treasure amassed over the better part of a century and your first thought is ‘it’s messy’?” Victor actually sounded offended. Yuuri hadn’t meant to be insulting, although Victor’s pride was misplaced given that this was the dragon’s hoard. It’s not as if the prince had collected all the riches in this room.

“Why aren’t you excited? Isn’t this why you came here, Yuuri? After you kill the dragon, you’ll be the richer than most men on earth.” Victor frowned, tone weirdly accusatory.

“It’s not like that!” Yuuri shouted. He wasn’t here to get rich. Hadn’t he told Victor that last night? “I just want to repay the people who I’ve depended on. Now they’re depending on me to help them.”

Yuuri looked around the room and saw all the things he could for his family and his hometown, not the wealth that he could take for himself. If there was a way that he could steal Victor and the treasure without the dragon knowing, Yuuri would leave right now. “I don’t care about wealth or fame. That’s not what being a knight is about. If there was a way to get us out of here without killing the dragon, I would do it.”

Victor’s expression contorted into something that looked like regret. He walked away, further into the hoard. Yuri was left to stand alone by the doors, reluctant to follow after the prince. He felt as if there was something that he was missing.

The anxious knight called out for Victor. After a few minutes the prince returned. He held a golden sceptre beset with blood red rubies and black onyx. It was the length of Victor’s arm and appeared to be heavy from the way the prince carried it.

Victor pushed the sceptre into Yuuri’s hands. It was unexpectedly light, certainly no more heavy than his sword. Victor’s lips twisted into a bittersweet smile.

“Take this. The dragon won’t miss it. It should be enough to help your family and town. If you leave now before the dragon returns, you’ll be safe.” Victor brushed Yuuri’s hair away from his face. The knight seemed to be stunned.

Victor hoped that his eyes didn’t reveal how deeply he would miss the knight he had only met yesterday. None of his would-be saviors had left such an impression on the prince. Yuuri was truly a good person. Victor wouldn’t allow himself to delay the knight’s quest.

Victor’s hand gently tilted Yuuri’s face upward. “Even if I give you a gift, I still have a selfish nature. Give me a kiss to remember you by.” Yuuri didn’t say anything as Victor leaned forward.

Their lips were about to meet. Yuuri let out a hitched breath, making Victor pause. “Yuuri?” Victor whispered, watching as tears rolled down full cheeks. The crying knight took a step back.

“You think that I would leave you here alone again? That I could steal this?” Yuuri brandished the sceptre. “And go without a second thought? What kind of person do you think I am?”

Yuuri’s voice grew more steady even as tears blurred his vision. He had never felt so vulnerable or angry. “Victor, you’re one of the people depending on me now. I promised to stay with you. I know you don’t think highly of me, but the least you could do is have faith that I won’t leave.”

Yuuri pushed the sceptre back into Victor’s hands. “I don’t want this.” The knight retreated from the ballroom. He heard Victor call out after him, but he didn’t stop.

Yuuri didn’t even fully understand why he was so upset. Maybe it was because he thought that Victor would at least believe that Yuuri would honor his word. Perhaps it was something to do with the prince’s resigned tone, as if it was obvious that Yuuri would decide to leave. They’d only just met, but Yuuri was deeply disappointed that Victor had expected so little of him.

He lost track of time as stewed in his own thoughts., giving his feet freedom to pick their own path. By the time Yuuri found himself back at his rooms, he was even more exhausted than the day before. Night had fallen and the fireplace was lit, casting shadows all about the room.

There was another meal set out on the table which Yuuri ate half heartedly while staring at the vacant chair across from him. Having learned his lesson from earlier, Yuuri left the dishes where they were when he was finished. He took his time looking for sleep clothes and found some in chest at the foot of the bed.

He changed and laid down. The bed which had been so comfortable the night before, now felt wide and empty. Yuuri tossed and turned throughout most of the night, only falling into a restless sleep in the early hours of the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so much miscommunication with these two! If you're thinking they seem ooc, it's because a lot of stuff is different in this au. Like Yuuri hasn't idolized Victor forever and Victor hasn't had a chance to see that Yuuri is actually talented @_@


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whenever i decide to write fic, my life explodes Q_Q but I'm determined to get this all posted! Thank you for all of the kind reviews and kudos <3

_Last time: The bed which had been so comfortable the night before, now felt wide and empty. Yuuri tossed and turned throughout most of the night, only falling into a restless sleep in the early hours of the morning._

The sun was high in the sky by the time Yuuri finally got out of bed. Even though he had slept in, the knight did not feel well rested. All he really wanted to do was lie in bed for the rest of the day.

However, it would be rude to continue to ignore the food that had been left on the table. Yuuri stumbled over to his chair and found that his breakfast had been kept warm by the castle’s enchantments despite the late hour. That wasn’t all.

A pair of glasses had been set on Yuuri’s empty plate. The clear glass lenses gleamed up at him. They were set in rectangular silver frames.

Yuuri gulped and picked them up. He closed his eyes, carefully putting the spectacles on. When his brown eye opened, everything snapped into startling clarity. He could discern the elaborate pattern on the china his breakfast was served. Further away, he could see his dragon carving laid out on his pillow.

Excited to fully engage his sight, Yuuri scrambled to look out the windows. Down in the courtyard was the frozen fountain, except now Yuuri could just make out that the ice poured out the mouth of a stone dragon. He laughed joyfully. These glasses were even better than his old pair. Yuuri had never seen this clearly before.

He couldn’t wait to see Victor and thank him.

With that thought, the events of the day before all came rushing back. Yuuri groaned and was barely able to resist the urge to hide his face in his hands, conscientious not to smudge the fine lenses of his new glasses. Why had he been so upset? He would be lucky if Victor was willing to talk with him, much less forgive his dramatics.

Yuuri dejectedly plopped back down into his chair. Only then did he notice the note, once again poking out from beneath the teapot. Eager to read for the first time in over a year, Yuuri pulled it out. At first he was pleased to be able to make sense of Victor’s looping script, but with each word his mood steadily sank. It seemed that the prince was busy today and wouldn’t be able to visit Yuuri, although Yuuri was welcome to explore the castle on his own.

Yuuri sighed. The only way in which a lone captive prince could be busy was if he was avoiding an emotionally volatile knight. As he ate breakfast, Yuuri tried to form an appropriate apology for his outburst, but it was difficult to explain why he had reacted so emotionally.

Unwilling to just wait for Victor to show up, Yuuri spent the rest of the day looking for the him. The curse may have prevented the prince from leaving the castle, but no matter where Yuuri looked, not even a silver lock of hair was to be found. At least Yuuri was now able to navigate the hallways more easily with his glasses. He took note of the paintings and tapestries that hung on the walls in order to keep track of which areas of the castle he had already searched.

Peering into yet another dim unfurnished room, Yuuri realized something that had been bothering him. It made sense that most of the castle was empty if only Victor and the dragon lived here. However, in all his wandering, Yuuri hadn’t seen a single sign of the dragon in the castle or the forest surrounding it.

Yuuri was no dragon expert, but he reasoned that there should at least be scratches on the floor from its claws or wear marks on the walls from the brush of its wings. For that matter, most of the halls in the castle were much too small for a dragon to move through. The only spaces inside the castle that could accommodate a dragon’s size were the entrance hall and the ballroom where it kept the hoard. Except there was no way for the dragon to travel between those two points without shrinking.

None of it made any sense. Maybe Yuuri was making too many assumptions about the dragon’s physical form. The stories he had heard as a child always described dragons as fearsomely large creatures, but perhaps this dragon was exceptionally small.

The first thing he would do after apologizing to Victor, is ask him to describe the beast. Yuuri needed a better idea of what kind of creature he was going up against. There was also still a part of him fascinated with dragons that simply wanted to learn all it could about the rare species.

Although neither the dragon or prince where to be found that day, Yuuri didn’t have to wait too long to have a chance to ask his questions. The knight found Victor the next morning with no effort at all. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Yuuri looked out the windows. There was a familiar gleam of silver down in the courtyard that could only be Victor’s distinctive hair.

Yuuri rushed to get dressed, pausing just a moment to reverently put on his glasses before dashing out of his rooms. His vision was startlingly clear. Despite Yuuri’s hurry, it still took the knight a quarter of an hour to reach the courtyard.

Resting a hand on one of the castle’s main entry doors, Yuuri hoped that Victor hadn’t already left. Just like before, the door swung open soundlessly and left Yuuri squinting into the daylight. As his eyes adjusted, what Yuuri saw took his breath away.

Victor danced through the courtyard, a sword held firmly in his hands. The blade cut through the air, a quick blur of motion. The prince’s feet were never still, following a pattern that they obviously knew by heart.

The long silver braid of his hair whipped about as Victor worked his way through the drill, steadily increasing his pace without a hitch. Yuuri was enraptured. Never had he seen swordswork like this, nor a man more attractive than Victor in that moment.

With his glass lenses, Yuuri could see the drops of sweat roll down Victor’s pale face. Despite his physical exertion, there was no flush on the prince’s high cheekbones. Although, his pink lips were enticingly parted. The feature that struck Yuuri the deepest was the prince’s eyes. 

Focused to the point of ignoring everything but the sword in his hands, Victor’s bright blue eyes ignited something inside Yuuri.

He had no idea how long he stood there watching Victor. It might have only been a few minutes or an entire day. Yuuri didn’t care. He only knew that when Victor began to slow down Yuuri wished that the prince would never stop. 

Victor finally came to a rest, the sword’s tip trailing near the ground at his side. He didn’t acknowledge Yuuri. From his far off expression, the knight could tell that the prince’s mind was elsewhere.

Yuuri slowly approached. Only when he stood directly in front of the prince, did Victor notice him. He shook his head, removing a few silver strands that had escaped the confines of his braid and stuck to his damp forehead.

“Yuuri?” Victor asked, his breathy tone making Yuuri blush furiously.

“That was incredible!” Yuuri blurted out, feeling wrong footed. “I didn’t think you could fight like that.”

Victor’s lips turned down. Not that Yuuri was paying special attention to Victor’s lips.

“No! Not like that.” Yuuri hastily clarified. “I mean that I’ve never seen anyone use a sword so skillfully! You were beautiful.”  
Yuuri only realized what he had said as a delighted twinkle brightened Victor’s eyes.

“That is to say- Your swordsmanship was beautiful.” Yuuri finished feebly, feeling flustered. Victor let out a pleasant laugh that warmed Yuuri all the way down to his toes.

“Am I to take it that I’ve been forgiven?” Victor teased, lifting an eyebrow. The blushing knight bowed so quickly and deeply that Victor was afraid he would fall over and hit his head.

“About yesterday, I was very rude. I’m sorry for my behavior. Your offer was well intentioned.” Yuuri stared down at the ground as he apologized, afraid to look up and see Victor’s reaction.

A firm grip on his shoulder guided the shorter man up right. “I’m the one who should be apologizing.” Victor admitted. He seemed vulnerable before a rueful grin masked it. “I misjudged you. It wasn’t my intention to insult you.”

Yuuri was hesitant to draw the conversation out further, but he felt that it was important to remind Victor of his promise. “I said I would stay, didn’t I? I won’t go back on my word.”

Victor’s grip on his shoulder tightened. “I’ll remember that from now on.” Victor’s thumb brushed against the bare skin of Yuuri’s neck. Yuuri shivered, but didn’t flinch away

“Can you teach me how to fight like that?” Yuuri asked. Victor’s thumb had settled on the spot where Yuuri’s heart beat thrummed. The prince’s touch left the poor knight’s head spinning.

“You’re so cute. As you are right now,” Victor’s hand dropped down to poke Yuuri’s chubby middle, “the dragon would think you were a tasty little piggy.”  
Yuuri’s mind stalled, mentally scrambling to switch tracks. What had happened to the moment they were just having? Did Victor just call him a pig?

“A piggy?” Yuuri repeated it as if he had misheard.

“Yes! Take it as a compliment. You’re positively delectable.” Victor smirked, but Yuuri wasn’t paying attention. 

The knight knew he was out of shape, but he wasn’t a pig! He would show the prince and the dragon how tasty he was. He would just have to make them acknowledge his worth as a knight.

As Yuuri fumed, Victor watched him with an enigmatic smile. The prince was glad that his distraction had worked so effectively, although he hoped that he hadn’t offended Yuuri too badly. Yuuri’s furrowed eyebrows and stubborn frown were just as endearing as his earlier excitement.

There really was something unique about Yuuri, Victor thought. No one had surprised him like this for years. He looked forward to more of the timid knight’s unexpected reactions.

It would be a shame to be deprived of them when Yuuri inevitably left, just like all the others before him. Yuuri’s intentions were more noble than most, but he wasn’t prepared to fight a dragon. If Victor had his way, Yuuri would leave without ever meeting the dragon. Eventually Yuuri would tire of waiting and Victor’s company, but until then Victor would treasure the time they had together.

As Victor contemplated the knight, Yuuri mastered his emotions. He harnessed his embarrassment and disappointment rather than be consumed by them. Those feelings would fuel his determination to impress Victor and defeat the dragon.

In order to train effectively Yuuri needed to know more about the dragon. “It sounds like you’ve had a chance to study the dragon if you can guess what it will think of me. Can you tell me about it? I’ve never actually seen a dragon before. All I know about them are from old stories.”

Victor’s expression twisted into something inexplicably sad. Before Yuuri could say anything, the prince bowed his head to wipe some sweat off his brow onto his sleeve. When Victor was done, the sadness had been wiped away as well. Perhaps Yuuri had just imagined it, but he didn’t think so.

“It wouldn’t hurt to tell you.” Victor said. “But let me take a bath first.”

^.~.^

Victor had guided Yuuri back into the castle and shown him into a cozy study. There was an upholstered chair set in front of a large fireplace which was dusty as if it had not been lit in quite some time. The walls were covered with floor to ceiling shelves full of books and trinkets. Yuuri recognized a few texts written in his native language, but there were many more in a variety of languages which he had never seen before.

Yuuri waited there while Victor went to clean himself up. The knight picked one of the books he could read and settled down in the chair, studiously not thinking about the fact that this seat was most definitely Victor’s. He also did not think of Victor sitting here with the firelight reflecting off of his hair or take a deep breath to see if Victor’s scent lingered on the upholstery.

By the time Victor returned, hair loose down his back and clothed in a black sweater, Yuuri hadn’t read more than a page. Honestly Yuuri didn’t have the faintest idea of what the book was even about.

“What are you reading? You look so absorbed.” Victor came to stand behind the chair and craned his neck to look at the text in Yuuri’s lap. The prince was convinced it must have been something interesting, because Yuuri slammed the book shut and covered the title with his hands. Victor pouted. He wanted to know what had caused Yuuri’s dreamy expression.

“It’s not important.” Yuuri stammered. “Besides weren’t you going to tell me about the dragon?” He looked up at Victor through his long black eyelashes, completely unaware of the effect it had on the prince. 

Victor stared into Yuuri’s warm brown eyes, distracted by the knight’s alluringly demure behavior. It took the prince some effort to break away from Yuuri’s gaze and walk over to the fireplace. He leaned against the mantel, almost as if he was bracing himself.

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything!” Yuuri replied. “In the stories I grew up with, dragons were huge flying monsters that stole treasure and held captives for ransom. Some of them could breath fire. I thought they were extinct, but obviously not.”

“That’s all true in a sense,” Victor began. “Dragons could do all those things and a rare few were born with other special abilities. Their sizes varied from the smallest who were no larger than a housecat to the greatest who were equal to a mountain. It’s true that some dragons did evil things, especially towards the end.”

Victor paused, as if unsure of what he wanted to say next. “But most of them were kind. Just like humans really, but the bad ones made a name for themselves.”

Yuuri sat on the edge of his seat, wondering what fantastical thing the prince would reveal next.

“They might as well be extinct, because the dragon of this castle is the last one alive.” Victor concluded bitterly.

“I never knew any of that.” Yuuri was intrigued. “Have you studied dragons for a long time?”

Victor chuckled and turned to face Yuuri. “I guess you could say I’m a dragon expert.”

“But how did you learn about them? Why have I never heard of the good dragons? They died out a century ago and you’re only a bit older than me.” Yuuri wanted to know where Victor had got his information. Even though Yuuri had been obsessed with dragons since childhood, he had never been able to learn more beyond the basic legends. The facts had been obscured by a veil of fairytale that had more to do with moral lessons than historical reality.

A funny expression passed over Victor’s face. “I might be older than you expect. Mostly I’ve learned from these books and what the dragon has told me. It seems that a plague wiped out most of the dragons, leaving behind only a few that went mad. The stories you know are probably based on the surviving dragons.”

“The dragon talks to you?” Yuuri yelped, completely sidetracked from the rest of Victor’s explanation.

“Yes, shouldn’t he have?” Victor asked confusedly.

“How did you understand it? How did it understand you?” Yuuri asked excitedly.

Victor cocked his head. “Dragons can speak all human languages. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that dragons speak a universal language. It’s difficult to explain how it works exactly. It just does.”  
Yuuri wished that Victor would be more specific, but the prince obviously wasn’t used to explaining his knowledge of dragons to other people. “Does the dragon talk to you often?”

“Sometimes!” Victor chirped, but didn’t elaborate.

“What does it look like? Describe it to me.” Yuuri encouraged.

Victor’s brow creased. “He’s big and grey. His wings are powerful and he has sharp claws…” He trailed off. Yuuri waited for him to say more, but the prince seemed to be at loss.

“And?” Yuuri prompted. As a self proclaimed dragon expert and a dragon’s captive, Yuuri assumed that Victor would at least be able to give a detailed description of the dragon. However, the usually articulate prince couldn’t seem to find the words.

“He has blue eyes?” Victor hedged. “I don’t really know what else to tell you.”

“I’ve dreamed of seeing a dragon practically since I could talk.” Yuuri exclaimed. “Where did it come from? Why did it take you prisoner? How did it survive the plague that killed the rest of the dragons?”

Victor blanched. Yuuri looked away, slightly abashed at his own fervor. The prince was probably put off by all of his inquiries. “Sorry, I got carried away.”

Victor cleared his throat. “That’s alright, Yuuri. I like this enthusiastic part of you. It’s been awhile since I met someone genuinely interested in learning about dragons.”

Yuuri smiled shyly at the prince. He had never met anyone else who had shared his fascination with dragons either. The more he got to know Victor the more Yuuri realized how much they had in common. He had never felt this close to anyone.

They spent the rest of the day discussing dragons. Although Victor faltered when it came to talking about the dragon of the castle, he knew many more stories about dragons from the centuries past. The knight listened avidly as the prince told tale after tale. Victor was an animated narrator, pacing about and gesturing to add emphasis to his accented words.

Yuuri was chagrined to find that his focus often slipped. Rather than listening attentively to the words, Yuuri became entranced by the prince’s musical voice. Every so often he shook himself from his daze just long enough to hear part of an interesting anecdote before becoming entranced again.

Luckily Victor didn’t seem to notice that Yuuri’s glazed expression. It had been a long time since any of the prince’s visitors had shown an interest in dragon lore. A few of Victor’s would-be saviors had appeared curious, but they had all just been searching for the dragon’s weakness to exploit.

Yuuri wasn’t like that. He had studied dragons long before he had known about the castle, although his resources had been limited. The knight’s only motivation to learn had been his own passion. As Victor described the great feats that dragons had accomplished in the long forgotten past, Yuuri’s eyes shined with admiration.

It amused Victor that Yuuri was equally thrilled and scared of confronting the dragon. He felt just a bit guilty as he indulged Yuuri’s curiosity, since he had no intention of letting the knight even see the dragon. Victor’s blood ran cold at the thought of being the reason for Yuuri getting hurt. If Yuuri attacked the dragon, the dragon would rightfully defend himself.

But Victor felt that he owed Yuuri at least this much.

During a pause in their conversation, Yuuri’s stomach grumbled hungrily. Victor laughed unapologetically as Yuuri clutched his stomach. Neither of them had realized how quickly the time had passed. Both were so absorbed in each other's company that the day had disappeared in the blink of an eye. It was past dinner time and they hadn’t even eaten lunch.

Victor invited Yuuri back to his rooms to eat so that they could continue speaking. The prince was loathe to be parted from the knight despite the late hour. Yuuri accepted, privately relieved that he wouldn’t have to leave Victor’s presence yet.

Victor’s rooms were similar to Yuuri’s in size, but looked out over the back of the castle grounds and the surrounding forest. Rather than windows, there were a set of glass doors that led out onto a balcony. There was also a fireplace. But Yuuri noticed that like the one in the study, it looked as if it had not been used in a long time. The prince must have grown used to the castle’s chill.

They sat down at a small table covered with steaming hot plates of food. The castle’s enchantment accounted for everything. Yuuri wondered whether it was the castle or Victor who had found his glasses.

Yuuri choked on his wine when he suddenly remembered that he had yet to thank Victor for them. Victor patted Yuuri on the back as he coughed, wondering how such a harmless person became a knight. When Yuuri could breath again, he waved off Victor’s hand. He was already too flustered to deal with the prince’s touch.

The prince let his hand drop away and leaned back to give Yuuri his space. It really was easy to ruffle the younger man. Victor might enjoy taking advantage of that a bit too much. But how could he not encourage Yuuri’s full cheeks to blush bright red when the man was so irresistible?

Yuuri’s fingers brushed against the frames of his glasses near his temple, drawing Victor’s attention to them. “I completely forgot to thank you. Did you find these for me?”

It was the prince’s turn to be unsettled. “I’m glad you like them. Actually, the reason I took you to the treasure room was to find those. I thought I had seen a pair laying around, but we were-” Victor struggled to pick a word, “sidetracked.”

Victor reached across the table and took Yuuri’s hand in his own. If he had looked up, he would’ve seen steam billowing up from Yuuri’s frazzled head. “I am sorry for my assumptions. I only wanted to help you, but I insulted you instead.” Victor admitted. He brought Yuuri’s hand to his lips and kissed it. “Forgive me.”

“Of course!” Yuuri yelped. He could feel Victor’s smile against the back of his fingers. The prince’s breath was cool on his skin. 

Victor let their hands rest on the table, but he didn’t let go. “That’s good. I couldn’t live with you hating me.”

Yuuri pulled his hand back. Frowning, he rubbed his hands together. “Don’t make fun of me.” It was impossible that a beautiful prince would take interest in a plain country bumpkin.

“I’m not teasing you. It’s been a long time since I’ve met someone as kind and earnest as you. You fascinate me.” Victor explained. 

Yuuri shook his head. Victor had been alone for so long that at this point anyone would catch his attention. The prince was just lonely. There was no way Yuuri would take advantage of Victor’s isolation and desperation for companionship.

“It’s late. I should return to my rooms so we can both rest.” Yuuri said and stood up. Victor frowned, dissatisfied that Yuuri was ignoring his words. If Yuuri didn’t believe him than Victor would just have to work harder to prove that his feelings were genuine.

They said goodnight. Victor and Yuuri went to sleep alone in their beds, but preoccupied with thoughts of the other. The prince and the knight were equally determined to fulfill their resolutions.


	4. Chapter 4

_Last time:They said goodnight. Victor and Yuuri went to sleep alone in their beds, but preoccupied with thoughts of the other. The prince and the knight were equally determined to fulfill their resolutions._

Yuuri woke up the next morning feeling distinctly unrested. He laid in bed staring up at the canopy. His usual method of dealing with problems was ignoring them until they went away. However it would be unfair to avoid Victor just to spare Yuuri his own feelings. The knight would have to find something to distract himself from his growing attraction for the prince.

He reluctantly rolled out of bed and put on his glasses. Looking out the windows, Yuuri saw Victor once again twirling about the courtyard effortlessly and swinging his sword in a hypnotic rhythm. Yuuri slapped his cheeks with both hands and shook his head, fighting back the heat of the pavlovian blush that stained his skin.

He was confused, Yuuri told himself. This feeling that made it seem like his heart wanted to pound out of his chest was admiration. He had never met a man like Victor. It was completely reasonable that Yuuri had mistaken his esteem for another more passionate emotion. 

With a sigh Yuuri sat down to eat his breakfast. Maybe if he repeated his excuses enough they would actually become true. There was no note beneath the teapot to give him guidance, so Yuuri would have to take the initiative and decide what he wanted to do.

As he thought about whether or not to join Victor, his eyes landed on his sword which was propped up against the wooden trunk at the foot of his bed. It had been a long time since he had practiced. 

He stood up and went over to it. When he picked up the sheathed sword, the steel was heavier in his hands than he remembered it. Grasping the handle, the knight was struck with an impulse to draw it.

This was it, Yuuri realized. This would be his distraction. He would put his energy into regaining his skills. Then he would convince Victor to train him so that he could kill the dragon and get them both safely away from here.

Yuuri would return to Hasestu to help rebuild his town and Victor would return to his world of royalty. Both would go back to where they belonged.

The knight turned back to the table and eyed the spread of delicious food with a glum expression. He sat back down and served himself a bowl of porridge, a handful of fruit, and some eggs. It was a test of his willpower to ignore the sweet pastries and sausages that sat innocently alongside. However, he knew that he needed to give his body more reliable sources of energy if he was going to improve on his swordsmanship.

After breakfast, Yuuri went down to join Victor in the courtyard. The sword was deliberately left behind in his room because Yuuri wanted to increase his strength and speed first. After he was in better condition, Yuuri would take up his sword again.

Victor called Yuuri’s name in a happy greeting when the knight descended the steps into the courtyard. The prince strode over and stopped just a little too close for Yuuri’s comfort. Yuuri gulped but willed himself not to react. He looked up at the prince with a serious set to his face.

“Good morning, Victor. Do you mind if I train here too? I won’t get in your way.” Yuuri’s eyes were bright and sharp with focus. 

The knight’s newfound determination made Victor’s heart skip a beat. This was yet another side to Yuuri that the prince hadn’t seen before. The unassuming young man really was full of surprises.

“That’s fine. Besides, I wouldn’t mind being distracted by you, Yuuri.” Victor leaned in closer as he replied, hoping to break Yuuri’s composure. However he was bemused when Yuuri merely thanked him and set off on a moderate jog around the courtyard’s perimeter wall.

Victor took a moment to pout, deprived of Yuuri’s precious reactions. The knight was completely absorbed in his training, so Victor shook it off and went back to his own practice. They spent several hours in the courtyard, neither aware of other’s appreciative glances.

When the sun was high in the sky, Victor set his sword down and wiped sweat from his brow. Yuuri was still going without break. He had progressed from jogging to stretching and now to doing some form of martial art. The knight was a chubby, but he was also accomplished athlete. 

Victor would admit that when it came to stamina, Yuuri was the clear winner.

“Yuuri, let’s stop for the day.” Victor called out.

Yuuri performed a final roundhouse kick before finally coming to a rest. He bent over, hands on his knees, panting with exertion. After it felt less like he was gasping for air, Yuuri straightened up and staggered toward Victor. His muscles burned and he felt light headed.

“You overdid it.” Victor chided. He came over and put one of Yuuri’s arm around his neck. The prince firmly held the trembling knight to his side. 

Yuuri weakly attempted to break away. “No, I can walk by myself. Don’t be silly.” He protested, but Victor was unmoved.

“If you don’t let me support you, I will just have to carry you instead.” Victor threatened with a tight smile. His grip tensed as if preparing to sweep Yuuri up into his arms.

Yuuri flailed and let out an undignified squawk. Victor waited to see if Yuuri would put up any further fuss, but the knight seemed to have reluctantly accepted his position. Yuuri’s arm settled more firmly around Victor’s broad shoulders and took a step forward.

“Thank you, but you really don’t have to.” Yuuri mumbled as they hobbled up the stairs and into the castle.

“I don’t have to, but I want to.” Victor replied. Yuuri was quiet as Victor guided them back to the bathroom where they had first met. There was already a steaming bath ready for them in the tub.

It occurred to Victor, as he deposited the stiff knight onto the bench, that he was sorry that the tub was not big enough to fit two. The prince dropped to his knees, reaching out to untie the laces of Yuuri’s well worn boots. Victor glanced up at Yuuri though his long pale lashes. Their eyes met before Yuuri coughed and looked away.

“I can do that.” Yuuri said, but Victor’s long calloused fingers continued to work at the laces. He slipped one boot off and began working on the other.

“I want to.” Victor repeated. He wondered if Yuuri was intentionally ignoring his advances or if the young man was actually this dense. Just as he was about to remove Yuuri’s other boot, Victor felt a light touch on his scalp.

The prince paused. “Is it really getting that thin?” Victor reached up to examine the spot Yuuri’s fingers had brushed against, feeling weirdly vulnerable. Yuuri jerked backward suddenly as Victor’s fingers grazed his own.

“No!” Yuuri exclaimed in horror. “You’re very pretty. I mean- You’re hair is! It’s soft and shiny. Please ignore what I did just now!”

Victor deflated in front of Yuuri’s eyes. The prince was shocked, no one else had ever noticed. Of course, Yuuri would be the exception. Victor’s perfect veneer was shattered, exposing his weakness. Even though he wasn’t near middle age, Victor was already losing hair.

“Yuuri, I don’t know if I can recover from this.” Victor whined. He hid his face in Yuuri’s lap.

Yuuri watched in astonishment as the handsome prince transformed into a pouting child. It was impossible not to chuckle as Victor continued to complain. He comfortingly patted Victor’s slightly thinning hair and smiled.

“I like this part of you.” Yuuri admitted shyly. “You seem so perfect. It’s intimidating how perfect you are, but this makes me like you even more.”

“Really?” Victor sniffled and peeked up at Yuuri.

“It makes you less untouchable,” Yuuri said, “more human.”

Victor went stiff beneath Yuuri’s touch the moment the words left his mouth. The prince stood up suddenly, not meeting Yuuri’s gaze. His long hair fell in front of his face.

“Victor?” Yuuri intoned, a lump forming in the pit of his stomach. What did he do wrong?

“I’ll go get you some fresh clothes.” Victor said, ignoring Yuuri’s unspoken question. He walked out of the bathroom, leaving Yuuri confused and with one boot still on.

Yuuri looked down at his hands which had brushed through Victor’s silver locks. What had made the prince leave so abruptly? Yuuri’s vision blurred as his glasses clouded over with steam.

He took them off and squeezed the bridge of his nose. The only question he should be asking is why he had said any of that in the first place. So much for ignoring his attraction to Victor.

Yuuri defeatedly finished getting undressed and got into the hot bath. The warm water soothed away the pain of his overworked muscles, but it did nothing to improve the knight’s steadily darkening mood. He brooded in the bath a long while but the water never got cold and Victor didn’t return.

When his skin was more wrinkled than the clothes Yuuri had haphazardly thrown on the floor, the young man forced himself to get up and dry off. Just like last time a new set of clothes was waiting for him on the bench. Yuuri definitely would have noticed Victor if the prince had delivered them.

That meant the castle’s enchantment had conjured these clothes and Victor had just made an excuse to escape Yuuri’s company.

Yuuri returned to his rooms. He bandaged his weary feet and hands in preparation for his training tomorrow. For the rest of the evening Yuuri read a book that he had borrowed from Victor’s study. He allowed himself to get lost in the account of a dragon who had granted wishes to anyone who brought it tribute, no matter its value.

When Yuuri tired of reading, he ate a quiet meal by himself. He was conscientious to choose food that was healthy, ignoring the more decadent offerings. Then he got ready for bed.

Even though the knight was still preoccupied with the prince’s strange behavior, the moment his head hit the pillow, Yuuri fell into a deep dreamless sleep.

^.~.^ 

Yuuri was decidedly grumpy as he went about his training the next day. There had been no note at breakfast and Victor wasn’t in the courtyard either. Although confused and hurt by the prince’s sudden withdrawal, Yuuri refused to let that disrupt his resolution to improve his swordsmanship. The knight spent half the day in the courtyard, trying to work out his frustration.

Even though he was physically exhausted at the end of it, Yuuri felt on edge. It was if he couldn’t quite take a full breath. Doing his best to ignore it, Yuuri found his way to the bathroom and soaked in the tub. Even as his muscles relaxed, Yuuri felt more tense than before.

On his way back to his room, Yuuri resisted the urge to search for Victor.

Yuuri tried to distract himself with the book from the night before, but the words drifted meaninglessly through his mind. He set the book down and looked around his room. 

The knight couldn’t sit still. It had been over a week since he found the castle and met Victor. That meant he had left Hasetsu about a month ago.

Still there was no sign of the dragon. Yuuri was disappointed in his lack of progress. How much longer would he and Victor be trapped here? What if, even when the dragon appeared, Yuuri failed? He felt sick thinking about Victor having to spend the rest of his life alone because Yuuri wasn’t strong enough.

All the doubt and anxiety that Yuuri had carefully ignored during his time with Victor crept back to the forefront of his mind. He would never see his family again. Victor would be left alone again. He would disappoint everyone he loved again.

Why had a failure like himself thought that could save others when he couldn’t even save himself?

Yuuri sank to his knees and clutched his chest. His heart beat loudly in his ears. He couldn’t catch his breath.

His head spun as he drowned in a wave of panic. Negative thought after negative thought sprung to mind. There were too many. How could he breath when everything was so wrong?

Yuuri was in such distress that he didn’t hear the prince knocking on his door. When Victor called his name, but the knight couldn’t reply. He was drowning.

Victor could hear Yuuri’s panting and was worried by the knight’s lack of response. Willing to apologize for the intrusion later, Victor opened the door. At first he didn’t immediately see Yuuri, so he took a step inside and saw the other man keeled over next to the bed.

Victor rushed to Yuuri’s side, scared that the knight had injured himself somehow.

“What’s wrong?” Victor kneeled next to Yuuri and looked him over, but he wasn’t obviously hurt. The prince’s hand fluttered towards Yuuri and then away, caught between the impulse to comfort and the fear that he might make Yuuri’s condition worse.

Yuuri made the decision for Victor and reached out to desperately clutch Victor’s sleeve.

“It’s okay. I’m here, Yuuri. Please, breath.” Victor watched helplessly as Yuuri gasped and shook. The prince felt completely powerless as Yuuri’s trembling intensified. The knight tried to choke out some words, but Victor couldn’t understand him. “What was that? Yuuri, please calm down.”

Yuuri let go of Victor and covered his mouth with both of his hands, tears streamed down his face. Victor was scared and at a loss. “Yuuri, what should I do?”

Yuuri slowly let his hands drop, his breath was shallow, but a little slower. “Just-” Yuuri breathed out, “Just stay close to me.”

It was completely against Victor’s nature to do nothing while Yuuri was in such distress, but he did what Yuuri asked of him. Victor settled down next to Yuuri, keeping a small distance between them but close enough that Yuuri could reach out for him. The prince sat there for a long time, watching as the tension seeped out of Yuuri’s body, feeling dishearteningly inadequate.

Finally Yuuri laid down on the floor, breathing normally and his eyes cried dry. His head dully ached. It felt like he could sleep for a thousand years, but moving from his spot on the floor to the bed seemed impossible.

Victor’s presence was a great comfort. Just knowing that the man cared enough to stay with Yuuri through this made his heart swell. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.” Yuuri whispered.

The prince shifted tentatively closer. He leaned over Yuuri and looked into his eyes. “May I touch you?” Victor asked, his voice unsure. Yuuri nodded, too tired to reply in words. It was unlike Victor to ask to touch him, but under the circumstances Yuuri appreciated it.

Victor gently lifted Yuuri’s head off the floor and settled it back on his lap. He brushed back Yuuri’s sweat slick black hair from his hot forehead. The prince’s hand was blessedly cool on Yuuri’s feverish skin.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” Victor’s voice was thick with an emotion that Yuuri was too tired to identify.

“I don’t know. It’s only happened twice before. The first time was after my horse died. It happened again the next day after I lost the tournament.” Yuuri closed his eyes, enjoying the firm pillow of Victor’s thighs.

“Does it hurt?” Victor asked softly. Yuuri grimaced.

“I’ve never had to describe it, but-” Yuuri paused. “It feels like I’m dying and there’s nothing I can do. I’m trapped in my body.”

“But, why?” Victor sounded horrified.

“It doesn’t make sense.” Yuuri sighed. “I’m physically fine, but my mind is convinced that something terrible is happening. I’m caught by all of my fears and insecurities.”

Victor made a vague noise of understanding. He was still confused about what had started it, but Yuuri seemed to be feeling better at least.

“And me being near helped?” Victor hoped that this would never happen again, but if it did, he wanted to know what he could do for Yuuri.

Yuuri smiled weakly up at Victor. “Yes,” The knight agreed simply. He had no explanation for why Victor’s presence was soothing.

They stayed there on the floor for a long while, silently consoling each other. Victor stroked Yuuri’s hair until the young man fell asleep. Only when all the feeling in his legs threatened to disappear, did Victor heft Yuuri up into his arms.

The prince swayed precariously when he stood, but managed to safely deposit the sleeping knight on the bed without disturbing him. He carefully removed Yuuri’s glasses and pulled the covers up over him. Resolutely resisting the urge to lay down next to him, Victor unsteadily retreated from the room.

As soon as he left Yuuri’s side, guilt began to eat at Victor. It was his fault that Yuuri was under so much stress, but he had no idea of what to do. No matter whether Yuuri left or stayed- No matter Victor’s intentions, Yuuri was going to be hurt. 

Still Victor selfishly wished that the knight wouldn’t leave. Victor’s heart had clenched in a way he had never felt before as Yuuri rested against him. The prince didn’t want to forget that feeling, the feeling of being helplessly human.

^.~.^

When Yuuri didn’t show up in the courtyard the next day, Victor abandoned his own training to go check on him. The prince was full of nervous energy as he knocked on Yuuri’s door, but just like yesterday there was no response. Victor burst into the room prepared for the worst, only to find Yuuri fast asleep in bed, exactly where Victor had left him.

Victor huffed quietly, when had Yuuri turned him into a mother hen? It was perfectly reasonable that Yuuri would sleep in and recover. Since he was already here, Victor decided that he might as well stay and keep watch over his knight. 

He didn’t think too closely about the fact that they were alone in the castle and there really wasn’t anything to keep watch for.

Victor closed his eyes and thought of his chair in the study and the book he had been reading recently. In his mind’s eye, Victor pictured both items next to Yuuri’s bed. After the space of a few breathes, Victor opened his eyes. The chair and a small table had appeared next to Yuuri’s bed. His book and a tea service where thoughtfully placed on top of the table.

Victor sat down and made himself a cup of tea. He had spent many years determining how the castle’s enchantment worked, but it still had a mind of its own. The castle always seemed to know exactly what Victor needed, even if he sometimes disagreed with what it provided.

That morning Victor guarded Yuuri’s sleep was on the most content moments of his life. Every now and then, the prince would glance up at Yuuri as he turned a page or took a sip of tea. Even asleep, mouth half open and hair tousled, Yuuri was the most beautiful human Victor had ever met.

The sun passed through the sky, it’s angle shifting until light streamed through the windows and illuminated the sleeping man’s face. Victor held his breath as Yuuri stirred, not certain if his presence would be welcome or not. Before he could make a hasty retreat, Yuuri eyelids fluttered open. When his brown eyes landed on Victor, Yuuri’s face lit up with a genuinely happy smile that froze the prince in his seat.

“Victor?” Yuuri mumbled, then yawned wide enough to crack his jaw. Victor, stunned by the innocent beauty of the young man’s smile, found himself at a loss for words. All Victor could do was smile in return.

Yuuri giggled at Victor’s expression, not fully awake yet. “What are you doing here?” He asked while snuggling against the pleasantly warm comforter. If Yuuri didn’t know better, he would call the pink that dusted the prince’s cheeks a blush.

Victor found his voice and replied, “You weren’t in the courtyard this morning. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

Yuuri’s lips turned down into a moue. He squinted past Vitor towards the window. When he saw the position of the sun, Yuuri scrambled to sit up and jammed on his glasses. He had slept half the day away!

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Yuuri groaned. At this point, he might not be able to finish his training before dark.

It was Victor’s turn to frown. “You needed the rest. I think it’s best if you take the day off, especially after last night.”

It was only then that Yuuri remembered the events of the previous evening. He had broken down, let his fear and anxiety take over, and Victor had seen it all. Rather than the familiar humiliation and relief that usually followed such an event, Victor’s words sparked an anger in Yuuri. 

The prince’s words grated on Yuuri’s nerves. He didn’t want pity. Did Victor think that Yuuri was fragile?

“Just because you helped me, doesn’t give you the right to tell me what to do. You’re underestimating me, Victor!” Yuuri snapped defensively. He felt raw beneath the prince’s icy gaze. The righteous indignation in his heart was a welcome source of heat.

“I was just trying to do what’s best for you.” Victor was taken aback. “It was an emotional night. Your body needs to recuperate before you start training again. I told you before, you’re pushing yourself too hard.”

Yuuri felt his lip threaten to tremble, so he focused on clenching his hands into fists. He couldn’t believe that Victor was using his vulnerability as an excuse to tell him what to do. Victor hadn’t gone through what Yuuri felt last night. The prince had only been a witness. Victor had no right to make assumptions about what Yuuri was capable of.

“You don’t get to choose what’s best for me. I know how far I can push myself. It’s not your decision to make.” Yuuri gritted out, fighting back the lump in his throat. 

Victor may think that he was weak, but Yuuri was determined to prove him wrong. He started get out of the bed. There was an annoyed look in Victor’s eyes as he put his hands on Yuuri’s shoulders, preventing the smaller man from standing up.

“Don’t be so stubborn! You’ll hurt yourself.” Victor exclaimed. Yuuri bowed his head, hiding the expression on his face.

“Don’t touch me.” Yuuri said. Victor immediately let go as if he had been scalded. “Get out.” Yuuri raised his voice.

Victor hesitated. He wanted to talk this out and convince Yuuri that he needed to rest. The knight was headstrong, but he shouldn’t risk his health to prove it. “Yuuri, listen to me-” He was cut off.

One moment the prince stood in front of Yuuri and in the blink of an eye he was gone. All that remained was the chair he had been sitting in, the tea service set on the small table, and Victor’s book which had fallen on the floor. One by one, those also disappeared as Yuuri looked on in shock.

Yuuri got out of bed and looked around the room. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw food appear on his table by the window. Had the castle’s enchantment removed Victor from his room? There was no way for Yuuri to be certain, but that seemed to be the most likely explanation.

“Thank you,” Yuuri said to the empty room. There was no reply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite villain Miscommunication makes a reappearance! Also the description of the panic attack is just based on my own personal experience. I've never had anyone to help me through one, so I'm not sure if Yuuri and Victor's interaction in that scene is accurate...
> 
> In conclusion, they're both lovable idiots and they're both wrong.


	5. Chapter 5

_Last time: “Don’t touch me.” Yuuri said. Victor immediately let go as if he had been scalded. “Get out.” Yuuri raised his voice. One moment the prince stood in front of Yuuri and in the blink of an eye he was gone. All that remained was the chair he had been sitting in, the tea service set on the small table, and Victor’s book which had fallen on the floor._

Yuuri spent the day light that was left training in the courtyard. He didn’t know if Victor was giving him space after their argument or if the castle was keeping them separated, but either way Yuuri was left to stew in his own thoughts. His irritation gave his body the energy it needed to push past the aches and pains from the day before.

He performed drill after drill, punching, kicking, and dodging imaginary opponents. However, no matter how quick his movements became, Yuuri felt none of his usual satisfaction. Despite his physical exertion, Yuuri’s thoughts kept circling back to Victor.

Yuuri was embarrassed by these mental attacks that plagued him, even when no one else had been aware that he was suffering. He had  never wanted to share this part of himself. It was humiliating to have such a painful secret revealed to someone else and Victor had witnessed it all.

Yuuri viciously punched the air. It wasn’t Victor’s place to make decisions for him. The knight’s insides clenched into painful knots when he remembered the annoyed expression on Victor’s face as he had pressed Yuuri back down onto the bed. The prince must think that he was a weakling, not even able to take care of himself.

Before this, the prince had made it clear that he thought it was unlikely that Yuuri could beat the dragon, but he hadn’t treated Yuuri as if he was incapable.

If he weren’t so angry, Yuuri would cry with the unfairness of it all. His inopportune moment of vulnerability had cost him Victor’s respect. No wonder the prince had treated Yuuri like a child, in his estimation Yuuri was fragile and helpless.

 

^.~.^

 

A week went by, the tension stretched tighter between Yuuri and Victor with every passing day. Whenever the two were both in the courtyard, the prince would frown as Yuuri trained without saying a word. Yuuri steadfastly ignored Victor’s disapproving gaze.

The knight continued his drills long after the prince retired from the courtyard, as if daring the man to suggest that Yuuri was pushing himself too far again. Yuuri almost wished that Victor would protest, than he could prove just how badly the prince had underestimated him. Unbeknownst to the prince, Yuuri’s training did not end after he left the courtyard. 

With nothing else to take up his time, Yuuri spent the hours between lunch and dinner practicing his swordwork. He had cleared a sufficient space in his room to be able to dart back and forth, exercising his footwork. After reviewing the forms he had learned during his time at court, Yuuri had started on working towards a new goal.

The image of Victor’s deadly and graceful figure dancing with his blade was seared into Yuuri’s mind. Despite Victor’s poor opinion of him, Yuuri would forever admire the prince’s swordsmanship. Ever so slowly, Yuuri broke down each movement. He had to account for the fact that Victor was much taller than him and thus had a longer reach and could cover more ground in a single step.

At first, it all felt stiff and awkward. However, Yuuri’s dedication and hours of practice paid off. Soon Yuuri whirled about his room, his blade just a quicksilver illusion in his hands.

The first time Yuuri worked through the entirety of Victor’s routine, he felt pride well up inside him. Yuuri knew that he was not a naturally talented swordsman, techniques that others mastered after a few passes took him a hundred tries. His stamina and tenacity to continue where others gave up is what gave Yuuri his edge.

What he wouldn’t give to make Victor understand that. If Yuuri had ever backed down from a challenge, he never would’ve become a knight. Despite his anxiety, taking the easy way out had never been in his nature.

 

^.~.^

 

By the end of the week, isolation was taking its toll on both men. Victor still didn’t understand why Yuuri had so vehemently refused to rest, but the more he turned the matter over in his mind, the more guilty the prince felt. He had crossed a line by physically forcing Yuuri to stay in bed, even if he had only wanted to keep the knight safe. It wasn’t his place to control Yuuri’s decisions.

The castle hadn’t felt this empty for ages. Victor was uncomfortably reminded of when he had first woken up alone and searched frantically through the deserted rooms. As the years passed uninterrupted, the prince had come to accept that he would die alone with no family or friends left to mourn him.

To think that he had found a person he cared for and then drove him away was too painful to bear.

Victor knew that Yuuri would honor his promise and stay until he was freed. It would be agony if they continued on like this, pretending that they were strangers. Victor had not felt fear like this before. He was out of practice when it came to apologizing. Yuuri might not even listen to him.

Everyday since the castle had cast the prince out of Yuuri’s room, Victor had mournfully stared at Yuuri as he practiced in the courtyard, willing the knight to acknowledge his presence. It had not seemed to have any effect. The only noise that had broken the silence were their panting breaths.

After seven days without a word spoken between them, Victor resolved to take the first step towards fixing things. At this point the situation couldn’t get much worse, unless Yuuri finally tired of waiting and left. Victor didn’t know what he would do then. He didn’t think he could survive it. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to.

That morning, Yuuri arrived in the courtyard about an hour after Victor, as was usual. With only casual observance, it was easy for the prince to deduce that the knight was not an early riser. His black hair was still sleep mussed and he squinted his eyes as if the light of the sun caused him some personal offense.

Lately, dark circles had also appeared beneath Yuuri’s eyes, suggesting insomnia. Victor selfishly hoped that those tired eyes meant that Yuuri missed him too.

Victor opened his mouth, but faltered when Yuuri decisively turned his back to him. The prince decided that it might be better to wait until Yuuri was more awake before approaching him. Victor began his own practice, convincing himself that he wasn’t stalling.

Several times throughout the morning Victor attempted to interrupt Yuuri, but the normally amiable young man’s face was set in an expression so hard that it was intimidating. When Victor sought out Yuuri’s brown eyes, his gaze was met with a defiant glare that discouraged interaction. If Victor wasn’t the object of Yuuri’s ire, he would have been completely fascinated by this new side of Yuuri. The prince hadn’t imagined that underneath Yuuri’s mild manners and anxiety was a bedrock of determination.

By the time Victor’s muscles were aching, he still hadn’t said anything. He sheathed his sword. Yuuri continued on as if he had just begun; his stamina was truly amazing. Victor tried not to think about the other ways Yuuri might employ that stamina.

Rather than disturb Yuuri’s training, Victor decided that it would best to talk after the knight was finished. Victor took a seat on the rim of the frozen fountain, setting his sheathed sword next to him. If he had been bored Victor would’ve returned inside the castle for a book, for the enchantment only stretched to the front entry way doors. However, the prince was entirely enraptured as he watched Yuuri move around the courtyard.

Victor didn’t know why he hadn’t noticed Yuuri’s talent before. His movements were fluid, almost musical in their rhythm. There was a strength and beauty to them that the prince had completely missed. Perhaps Victor had been too quick to judge Yuuri based on their first encounter. Yuuri’s lack of confidence and Victor’s belief that the knight would soon leave like the others had blinded him to the young man’s true abilities.

A warm heat spread through Victor, Yuuri always surprised him in the best ways. Even though it had only been a few weeks since Yuuri came into his life, Victor couldn’t imagine living without him. Before Yuuri’s arrival, time had been a blur sporadically interrupted by a handful of tawdry glory seekers.

Now Victor’s days were full of expectations and frustration, connections and miscommunication. It was messy. It was human. It was Yuuri.

For the first time, Victor wanted to fight for something. He wanted to keep Yuuri Katsuki by his side.

So when Yuuri finally ended his training, Victor stood and went over to him. The prince’s heart was full to bursting, as he stepped in front of Yuuri. There was hardly any space between them, but neither man backed away. Yuuri’s proud eyes made Victor’s knees feel weak.

“Yuuri,” Victor began. “I’m sorry. Please, forgive me.”

Yuuri’s features softened, but he wasn’t prepared to let this go so easily. “Forgive you for what?”

Victor swallowed, of course his knight would stand his ground. “I was wrong to ignore your decisions. I didn’t listen, but it wasn’t because I doubted you.”

Yuuri’s brow furrowed. “Then why were you so condescending? You treated me like I was a child, like I was incapable of taking care of myself.” The slight tremble in his voice made Victor want to wrap the smaller man in his arms and never let go. The prince restrained the urge because he knew that wasn’t what Yuuri wanted right now.

“That wasn’t my intention. I’m sorry that I was arrogant and made demands. I panicked. I didn’t want you to get hurt, but I overreacted.” Victor admitted. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I know that you’re strong, but the thought of losing you scares me.”

Yuuri’s mouth let out an involuntary gasp. His eyes were wide with shock and lips temptingly parted. “Then you don’t think I’m weak?”

Victor swayed as if he had been punched. “No, never!” He reached forward to take Yuuri’s hands in his own, willing the knight to understand. “Yuuri, you are the strongest human I have ever known.”

With that admission, Yuuri’s resolve shattered. He drew Victor into a tight hug, hiding his watery eyes in the taller man’s shoulder. Victor held Yuuri to him, resting his nose in Yuuri’s sweaty black hair. Their relief was a palpable, both glad to be so close after being apart for so long.

“Yuuri Katsuki, you are brave and honourable and strong. And I am better for having met you. Never doubt that.” Victor murmured in Yuuri’s ear.

Yuuri let out a watery laugh. “You really do sound like a prince when you say things like that. I forgive you, Victor.” They embraced a moment longer before Yuuri pulled back. Victor would’ve been content to stay in Yuuri’s arms, but he followed Yuuri’s lead and took a step back. 

“Thank you.” Victor tried to imbue those two small words with the depth of his feelings, hoping that Yuuri might understand everything yet left unsaid. The return of Yuuri’s blush was the only response Victor received, but that was all he needed.

At least on some level, Yuuri knew what Victor had just confessed. Having only just reconciled, Victor wasn’t willing to force the issue any further. He would wait until Yuuri was ready to talk about his own feelings.

  
Victor loved Yuuri. It was impossible and terrifying and precious. He would wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry for the lateness and brevity of this chapter. My brain began second guessing everything and then life happened :( This story is almost done and I plan to finish by the end of June!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a warning that there is some fantasy/adventure style violence and implied death in this chapter. i think it's pretty standard for a fantasy au involving knight and dragons, but you can skip past the fight and still follow along if you want to!

In the days that followed their reconciliation, Victor and Yuuri established a comfortable routine. Every morning they met in the courtyard and trained beside each other. Despite the prince’s insistence that he wouldn’t teach Yuuri to fight the dragon, every now and then Victor made suggestions about new exercises that Yuuri could add to his routine.

Victor would perform a new posture or movement for Yuuri to copy. If Victor’s hands eagerly reached out to correct Yuuri’s stance and perhaps lingered a little longer than absolutely necessary, neither prince nor knight made mention of it. Although Yuuri felt the warmth of Victor’s touch long after he let go.

After several hours Victor would tire out and leave Yuuri to continue to practice. The knight’s stamina only seemed to grow as time went on. Yuuri’s journey from the court to Hasetsu and then to the castle had been more taxing than he had realized. Troubled sleep had plagued the young man throughout, leaving him physically and emotionally drained.

As weeks passed with no sign of the dragon, Yuuri began to cautiously relax. Regular sleep and meals, along with Victor’s company, improved Yuuri’s attitude. Never in his life had Yuuri felt so confident in himself and his abilities.

After Yuuri finished in the courtyard, he would go freshen up before joining Victor for lunch. Then they would usually retire to Victor’s study. Sometimes they would just sit and read, content to quietly bask in each other’s company.

However, more often than not, they talked for hours on end. Yuuri initially worried that they would run out of things to say, but his fear was quickly dispelled. Although Victor was obviously uncomfortable speaking about his life before becoming the dragon’s captive, he had an endless supply of stories about dragons from ages past. Yuuri never tired of learning about the mysterious creatures, especially not when his source of information was so handsome.

Surprisingly, Victor was equally interested in learning about Yuuri’s life. The prince asked questions about Yuuri’s friends and family. Everyday details of their lives, such as that Yuuri’s mother was locally famous for her katsudon or that Yuuri’s martial arts teacher liked to get drunk and make lewd comments, delighted Victor. The way the prince treasured these stories made Yuuri realize that he had taken these ordinary parts of his life for granted.

They ate dinner together as well, alternating between their rooms each evening. Those candle lit dinners were the highlights of their days. The conversation between them would naturally lull. Victor’s gaze would linger appreciatively on Yuuri’s face.

It made Yuuri’s pulse beat loudly in his ears, acutely aware of how lovely Victor looked in the dim light.

Victor didn’t know if Yuuri did it on purpose, but the knight had a tendency to nervously lick his lips in the most distracting ways. His glistening mouth practically begged the prince to lean across the table and kiss Yuuri senseless.

Despite all of Victor’s flirtations, Yuuri had yet to make a move himself. Victor had no idea if his knight was too shy to broach the subject, but Yuuri hadn’t asked Victor to stop his advances. Although, sometimes as Victor lay down to sleep alone in his bed, he morosely considered that maybe Yuuri had no feelings for him at all and was simply too kind to reject him.

All in all, they were happy to continue that way. One month passed and then another. Neither man was eager to upset the new found happiness that they shared. Even though that meant that the depth of their feelings went unsaid.

Neither Victor nor Yuuri knew that their idyllic days were destined to be cut short. It was too soon for their happily ever after. Circumstances beyond their control would force both prince and knight to confront the truth of themselves and their hearts.

 

^.~.^

 

It was a morning just like any other at the castle. Yuuri drifted awake and moaned into his pillow, reluctant to leave the comfort of his bed. The light streaming through his windows finally compelled him to get up. He sleepily grabbed a piece of toast from the breakfast spread. Instead of sitting at the table, Yuuri went over to look out into the courtyard.

It was his guilty pleasure to watch Victor’s warm up before going down to join him. Victor always started with a particular drill that gave Yuuri shivers. It was all quicksilver movement and graceful strength. For some reason, Yuuri had noticed that Victor only ever performed this sequence when he thought he was alone.

But something was different this morning.

Yuuri blinked. He took off his glasses and rubbed the lenses with the soft material of his sleeping shirt and shoved them back on. He could see clearly now.

He could clearly see that Victor was not alone in the courtyard.

Suddenly Yuuri was wide awake. The half eaten slice of toast was dropped on the floor as Yuuri frantically got dressed. He pulled on a pair of pants, not bothering to change his shirt, and roughly jammed on his boots. Rushing to get to Victor, Yuuri only paused long enough to grab his sword before barreling out the door.

Yuuri’s mind was a tumult of anxiety. He had seen a group of at least 15 people in the courtyard facing a figure with the telltale silver of Victor’s hair. The knight knew that he was not the first person to visit the castle. Victor had said as much. This new party was probably just another bunch of glory seekers.

But something niggled at Yuuri’s rationalizations. Something about the scene had set Yuuri on edge. An uncanny sense of dread made Yuuri draw his blade as he approached the doors of the front entry way.

The doors swung out onto the courtyard. Yuuri shouted Victor’s name. The prince shot him a tense look over his shoulder before returning his attention to the people who filled the courtyard.

They looked more like a ragtag mix of bandits and vagabonds than potential saviors. Their clothes were ripped and dirty. The naked blades they held towards Victor and Yuuri were nicked and worn. What struck Yuuri most was the greedy looks in their eyes.

Yuuri continued down the stairs and came to a stop by Victor’s side. An unexplainable chill radiated out from the prince. Yuuri’s hair stood on end. His breath was visible in the air.

“Well, see here! Now this is interesting, innit?” A man who seemed to be the leader swaggered forward, a woman with a crossbow covered him from behind. Victor glared viciously as if trying to strike the man dead by pure force of will.

“What do you want?” Yuuri demanded, eager to send these interlopers on their way. The man leered at Yuuri, looking him up and down. Yuuri tightened the grip on his blade, but the aim of the crossbow kept him from advancing.

“It’s me lucky day. I’ve caught a dragon and a prince. Now we just got to figure which is which.” The man chuckled. After a beat, his cronies broke into howls of laughter as if they had just heard the punchline of a witty joke.

Victor hissed and brandished his sword. Anguished blue eyes met Yuuri’s own for a heartbeat before the prince looked away and shifted into an offensive stance.

Yuuri shook his head, as if he might disperse the confusion that threatened to drown him. There was a ringing in his ears. He could feel the hitch in his breath.

“You killed the dragon?” Yuuri heard himself ask. Even though he was there, everything felt a step removed as if he was somehow outside of himself.

They laughed even harder.

“Not yet, sweetheart.” The leader replied. “Now, how about you save us the trouble of getting unpleasant.” He ran his thumb along the length of the wicked looking dagger he held, staining it with blood. “Tell us. Are you human, love?”

“Leave him alone!” Victor shouted. He grabbed Yuuri’s shoulder and pushed the knight behind him. Yuuri was too shocked to resist.

“Or what?” The woman with the crossbow sneered.

“There’s only two of you!” One of the rabble spat.

“Hardly does seem like a fair fight. Now if we was up against a dragon that might even the odds, eh lads?” The leader mused. His grin made Yuuri’s skin crawl.

“Why don’t you stop hiding, like a coward? You great bloody lizard. If you don’t take off your human mask, we’ll just have to kill both of ya.”

Yuuri whispered Victor’s name, not sure what to do. Victor didn’t respond. The rogues laughter trailed off as they realized that their leader’s demands weren’t being met.

The leader raised his hand in the air and swung it down as Victor charged forward.

The courtyard broke into chaos. Victor moved with deadly grace, cutting his way through the center of their enemies. The leader and his guard had quickly fallen back, letting the rest of lackeys take the brunt of Victor’s attack. Despite their leader’s signal, Victor’s rush had taken them off guard.

Victor easily dispatched a man before the rest began to retaliate.

Yuuri was momentarily frozen in place as he watched Victor’s back move away from him. The knight didn’t understand what was happening, but he knew the only thing that really mattered. He belonged by Victor’s side.

The knight charged into the fray, only a few steps behind his prince. He was engaged by two men at once, attacking from opposite sides. It took all of Yuuri’s focus to fend them off.

The daily swordwork had honed Yuuri’s reflexes to the point of being automatic. The sword felt almost weightless in his grip as the knight swung it in a blur of motion. His opponents had the advantage in size and numbers, but they moved slowly in comparison. Yuuri took each opening to dart inside their guard, land a hit, and retreat before they could even react.

One of the men stumbled and fell to his knees. Without hesitation, Yuuri slammed the pommel of his sword into his temple. As the man crumpled to the ground, the knight turned to face his other attacker.

The look in Yuuri’s eyes was hot enough to burn. The remaining opponent took one step back and then another, as Yuuri advanced she dropped her sword and ran.  No one was quick to engage with him as they watched their comrade flee.

A shout pulled Yuuri’s attention to Victor. The prince was encircled by foes on every side. With disgust Yuuri saw that the leader still stood back, allowing Victor to be slowly worn down. He was waiting to attack until after the prince was exhausted.

Despite the impossible odds, Victor was holding his own for now. Three bodies lay on the ground, but for every enemy defeated there was another to take their place. There were simply too many to fight head on.

Yuuri realized they needed to take a different approach. The knight bared down on the leader. He swung his sword toward the ugly man’s neck. Preoccupied with egging on his gang, the bandit only just managed to raise up his large dagger in time to avoid losing his head.

He staggered backward and Yuuri pressed his advantage. The man was set on his knees in the dirt straining to push Yuuri away.

“You’ll regret that.” He snarled. His free hand grabbed some dirt and flung it in Yuuri’s face. Yuuri startled backwards, coughing and frantically wiping at his glasses.

The bandit jumped at him, jabbing haphazardly with his dagger. Yuuri dodged, only to be elbowed in the back by one of Victor’s attackers. He fell forward, but quickly scrambled up to his feet.

The leader took the opening to stab his dagger into Yuuri’s shoulder. Yuuri screamed. Hot white pain immobilized him.

The rogue pulled his blade out of Yuuri’s flesh with sadistic glee. Yuuri’s arm hung uselessly at his side. Warm sticky blood trickled down, staining his torn shirt bright red.

“Yuuri!” Victor cried desperately. His attacks lost their polished elegance. Another man fell beneath his blade, but still more opponents stood between the prince and his knight.

Yuuri panted and clutched his sword. It hurt. He felt dizzy, but he couldn’t give up. Abandoning thoughts of technique and strategy, Yuuri attacked the bandit, reigning down a series of hammering blows. Their blades clanged loudly with the force as they met again and again.

Yuuri’s attack was unrelenting. The bandit’s hands went numb from the impact of the knight’s sword. With a final decisive blow, Yuuri knocked his opponent’s blade to the ground. Yuuri’s own blade came to rest at the man’s throat.

“I surrender.” The bandit gasped. Yuuri’s blade wavered. In that infinitesimal second, a strike from behind sent Yuuri sprawling forward. His glasses went flying.

The woman who had snuck up behind Yuuri and saved her leader’s life rested her sword on the prone knight’s shoulder. The sharp edge lay threateningly next to Yuuri’s neck.

Unsure if the next breath he drew would be his last, Yuuri closed his eyes.

Victor called his name. The knight involuntarily jerked forward as if to rise, but the stinging sensation of the sword cutting into his skin made him still once more. Yuuri gritted his teeth in frustration.

A crunching noise caused him to look up. The leader of the bandit’s stood before him, Yuuri’s glasses were crushed into broken shards of glass beneath his feet. The sight of his broken glasses made Yuuri’s blood run hot.

They were a gift from Victor, a precious treasure to be guarded. The ugly man’s dirty feet tread on them as if they were worthless. With a sneer the man kicked Yuuri in the head. Yuuri’s already blurry vision momentarily darkened.

“Stop!” Victor cried out. Yuuri wanted to call back, to reassure Victor that he was alright, but it took all his energy not to collapse onto the blade that held him in place.

“I’ll stop when you stop lying to me.” The man snarled. “We can’t collect our reward without the dragon’s head. If neither of you transform quick like we’ll just have to lop off both of your necks and see what happens. Starting with this pretty one here.”

He kicked Yuuri again for emphasis, setting his head spinning. The knight wished he could catch his breath. There was nothing more he wanted to do than scream that the dragon wasn’t here, that there hadn’t been any sign of it for months, that in a secret corner of his heart he suspected that there was no dragon. There was only a lie and Victor.

A thunderous roar shook the ground. Yuuri felt the vibrations of it deep in his bones. Shocked screams rent through the air. The sword at his throat disappeared as the bandit leader’s face paled.

Yuuri pushed himself up onto his knees, but he was too dizzy to stand up. As his vision darkened again, Yuuri feared that he was going to collapse. Only when a pair of scaled feet with viciously sharp talons appeared before the bruised and beaten knight, did Yuuri realize that his vision was dark because he knelt in the shadow of a beast large enough to eclipse the sun.

A chilling breath tousled Yuuri’s sweat and blood soaked hair, as a snout gently nuzzled against him for a moment before pulling away. The knight forced himself to look up. Icy blue eyes met his gaze.

Yuuri knew those eyes.

“Victor?” Yuuri whispered hoarsely.

The great silver dragon bowed his head. He opened his maw to reveal rows of deadly white fangs as he let out a shriek of despair. Yuuri’s heart pounded as if it was about to burst from his chest.

Even without his glasses, Yuuri could see the dull patch of skin on the the crown of the creature’s skull. It was the only place on the dragon’s body that was not covered in glittering crystalline scales. Had it only been a few months ago when Yuuri ran his fingers through Victor’s hair?

A hysterical laugh burst from Yuuri’s mouth. Tears clouded his vision. Yuuri reached out a trembling hand. Victor almost shied away as Yuuri petted the side of his snout.

“I guess we’re both terrible liars.” Yuuri’s voice shook. “Your hair really is thinning.”

The dragon closed his eyes and huffed.

The moment was broken when Victor reared back, bellowing in agony. The dragon turned around and faced the attackers that had snuck up from behind. Yuuri sat between the dragon’s front legs, shielded from harm.

The knight watched as Victor engaged their remaining enemies, snapping with fearsome jaws and swiping with sickle like talons. After resting for a few minutes, Yuuri found the resolve to stand up again. He took a moment to survey the situation.

The remaining bandits and their leader were attempting to make a coordinated attack. However, they all looked worse for wear. Yuuri wasn’t doing very well himself. He couldn’t move his left arm and his sword had been lost somewhere in the melee.

Several arrows were lodged in the dragon’s powerful thigh. Victor couldn’t move freely either because he was defending Yuuri. The knight squinted at the bodies that lay around them.

A terrified scream became a horrific gurgle as the dragon struck down another of his opponents. Only two bandits and their leader still stood. While his underlings panicked and swung their swords, the leader himself seemed preternaturally calm.

Yuuri’s headed pounded. Something was wrong. Once more he counted the bodies on the ground. None of them held a crossbow. Where was the bandit’s markswoman?

Yuuri staggered forward, away from Victor’s protective crouch. The dragon swung his head around on his long neck and snarled at the knight, warning him to stay back. Yuuri froze.

The dragon’s teeth gleamed, just like the tip of the arrow that was aimed for the exposed area of Victor’s head. The markswoman had scaled the courtyard wall to find a vantage point. She had waited there unnoticed until the perfect moment.

The arrow was released with an audible twang. There was no time.

Yuuri rallied the last of his stamina to jump up, higher than he ever had before. Using his bodyweight, he pushed the dragon’s skull aside. The arrow thudded dully into his chest.

Yuuri fell back back to the earth and knew no more.

 

^.~.^

 

Everything burned. He tossed and turned, trying to throw the blankets off. A familiar voice comforted him as he was firmly tucked into the bed again. He was too weak to struggle free. 

The next time he woke, a chill had set in. He shivered as he hugged the warm blankets to him. Dimly he heard the sound of guests downstairs. Yuuri moaned and turned over, he wasn’t ready to get up and start helping around the inn.

Every muscle in his body screamed. An involuntary whimper escaped his lips. He stayed very still, willing the pain away.

A cool touch caressed his forehead. “Victor?” Yuuri murmured. His eyes fluttered open.

His mother’s concerned face swam into view. She removed the warm cloth from Yuuri’s fevered skin. With familiar movement she rung it out and dipped it into a bowl of cool water.

“Yuuri, you’re home. You’re safe.” Hiroko said soothingly. She put the cloth back on her son’s brow.

“Where’s Victor?” Yuuri asked. Why wasn’t the prince here? Yuuri was supposed to be by his side.

“Who’s Victor?” His mother’s tongue awkwardly formed around the foreign name.

“The prince.” Yuuri panted. He reached up to clasp his mother’s hand. “Please, I need him.”

“Yuuri.” She hushed. “The dragon only left you here. There was no one else.”

Yuuri’s hand went limp in his mother’s grasp. Victor had left him here? Was he no longer wanted? Now that the truth had been revealed, Victor had sent him home? Had it all been a trick?

Noticing her son’s distress, Hiroko picked up a cup of tea in her other hand. She held it up to Yuuri’s lips until he had drunk it all. Yuuri’s body relaxed and his eyes slid shut. His mother didn’t let go of his hand until he drifted back into sleep.

 

^.~.^

 

Yuuri drifted in and out of fever dreams for days. It was both blissful and torturous. He imagined waking up to Victor’s cool hands on his brow and accented voice softly repeating his name. Sometimes the prince lay next to Yuuri, cradling his broken body in the shelter of his arms. 

But just as often, he woke up and Victor wasn’t there. Instead a member of his family greeted him and helped him to eat and drink a little before he fell back into his delusions. Yuuri pitifully came to the realization that Victor hadn’t stayed over and over again. Bitter regrets formed a lump in his bandaged throat whenever he thought to ask more about how he had come to the inn and where the dragon had gone.

So Yuuri remained silent as his family nursed him back to health. Although his broken heart resisted any treatment. The best Yuuri could do was try to forget the last six months of his life.

It took a week for the fever to break. Finally Yuuri was able to sleep dreamlessly. The next time he came to, Yuuri was fully aware of his surroundings and the state of his body.

He was weak and achy. The cut on his throat and the wound on his shoulder were still bandaged. However, his chest was bare. Yuuri ran his fingers over the miraculously unmarred skin where the arrow should have left a mortal wound.

It was impossible. He remembered the impact, the way the steel tip had parted his skin and the shaft had sunk into his body. He should be dead.

Over the next few days, Yuuri was confined to more bed rest. His family was glad to see that Yuuri was recovering, but his taciturn mood unsettled them. Every now and then, Yuuri heard quiet voices whispering outside his door. Yuuri felt guilty for worrying them, but just couldn’t find the energy to mask his unhappiness.

Out of respect for his privacy, neither his mother or father asked Yuuri what was troubling him. They knew that their son preferred to solve his own problems. It was difficult to watch Yuuri struggle, but they didn’t want to risk upsetting him any further.

Yuuri’s sister took an entirely different approach. Mari asked him about the dragon, his injuries, the castle, the treasure, and his journey. It wasn’t that she was particularly interested in any of it, but she wanted her little brother to get over whatever was making him act like a pale imitation of himself.

However Yuuri refused to saying anything. Mari didn’t have the same patience as her parents. She threatened him with a visit from Master Minako, but even that didn’t move her stubborn brother.

Yuuri hadn’t put much stock in his sister’s threat, but the next day his old teacher enthusiastically threw open his door. Her loud entrance made Yuuri jump even though he was laying in bed. It was tempting to pull the blankets up over his head when he the manic gleam in Minako’s eyes.

“Yuuri!” She shouted. “Why are you still in bed? It’s been two weeks since the dragon set you down practically on your doorstep. Your moping is really starting to worry everyone.”

Minako grabbed the blankets and yanked them away, revealing Yuuri’s half naked body. He wore a pair of loose pants but nothing else. Yuuri yelped and sat up.

“Yuuri, when did this happen?” Minako pointed accusatorily. Yuuri frowned, he still didn’t want to talk about his wounds.

“I was in a fight.” Yuuri hedged.

“No, not that!” Minako exclaimed. “Your muscles! Look at that definition. You have abs, Yuuri. Abs!”

Yuuri blinked and looked down. He was in much better shape than when he had left Hasetsu. The change had happened gradually over the course of many moths, so he really hadn’t noticed.

“You’re just as fit as the prince!” Minako crowed delightedly. “What were you two doing in that castle? I need to know your training regimen.”

Yuuri choked as he sucked in a breath. He stood up so quickly that his head spun. His hands grabbed Minako’s shoulders.

“What do you mean? Is Victor here?” Yuuri asked desperately.

Minako gave him a look as if Yuuri was being incredibly dense. “He said you were hit in the head, but do you really not remember? The prince arrived a day after you.”

Yuuri shook his head in denial.

“The dragon was too wounded to carry you both all the way. So it dropped the prince before it got all the way to Hasetsu, but the dragon died on its way back to get him. You killed the dragon, Yuuri!” Minako embraced him.

Yuuri was glad for the support because he was swaying with shock. Victor was here. He hadn’t left. All those times Yuuri had woken up with Victor by his side weren’t dreams.

He gently pushed Minako away and rushed out of the room. He didn’t care that he didn’t have a shirt on or that his muscles protested every step. Yuuri needed to find Victor.

Staggering down the stairs to the ground floor, Yuuri burst into the inn’s dining room. It was full of guests, unlike the last time he had been there. They all stared at the panting, half-naked young man who looked back unabashedly. Victor wasn’t there. His mother came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of food, but stopped at the sight of her son.

“Victor?” Yuuri asked her. She smiled and nodded toward the front door. Without further explanation, Yuuri turned around and ran outside.

On the bench beneath the shade of the blooming cherry trees sat a man with locks of silver hair. Yuuri called out Victor’s name. The prince looked up just in time to catch his knight as Yuuri launched himself into Victor’s arms.

“Yuuri?” Victor asked uncertainly. He held his knight tightly, afraid that at any moment Yuuri would remember what he was and pull away. Isn’t that why Yuuri hadn’t asked to see him? Surely Yuuri hadn’t forgiven him so easily.

“Victor,” Yuuri said reverently. He leaned back just enough so that he could see the prince’s face. “Why didn’t you come to see me after my fever left? I thought I had imagined it all.”

Victor was stricken. “You didn’t ask to see me. I thought you wanted me to stay away because-” He stopped abruptly.

“Because?” Yuuri prompted. His fingers dug into Victor’s sides.

“Because I’m the dragon. It’s my fault that you were hurt. I lied to you. There are so many reasons you would hate me.” Victor admitted, tears pooling in his anguished eyes.

Yuuri closed what little distance remained between them, pressing his forehead to Victor’s. His brown eyes were determined. What Victor saw in Yuuri’s expression took his breath away.

“If you’re really sorry, make it up to me. Promise me something.” Yuuri demanded.

“Anything, Yuuri. I’ll do anything.” Victor pleaded, cold tears spilling down his cheeks.

“Stay close to me.” Yuuri whispered. “That’s all you have to do.” He reached up to caress Victor’s face, brushing away the tears with his thumb. A tenuous smile played on his lips.

“Yes- I’ll stay,” Victor breathed out.

Yuuri tilted Victor’s head ever so slightly and pressed their lips together in a tender kiss.

They stayed that way, Yuuri straddling Victor’s lap, sitting on the bench and completely entwined until a shout interrupted them. Yuuri broke away from Victor’s lips and sighed. Without getting up, he turned to look over his shoulder.

His family, Minako, the Nishigoris, and a few overly curious customers were gathered in the doorway watching Yuuri and Victor with varying degrees of delight and surprise. Yuuri blushed and hid his face against Victor’s shoulder. All of his confidence vanished in front of their personal audience. Victor patted his back sympathetically.

“Congratulations!” Boomed Nishigori as he strode out to meet them.

“Why didn’t you say that you were a couple, Victor?” Minako whined.

Yuuri sighed and stood. He held out his hand to help Victor up. The prince smiled at him brightly and grasped Yuuri’s hand. However, this final strain was too much for Yuuri’s healing body. Victor caught Yuuri as the exhausted knight collapsed against him.

This elicited gleeful squeals from Yuuko and Minako. Victor swept Yuuri into arms and made his way back towards the inn. The Nishigori triplets pestered them with questions along the way.

“Did you really kill the dragon?” One them asked with wide eyes.

“Are you betrothed?” Another giggled.

“When are you going to get married?” The third demanded.

Yuuri felt like his face was on fire. Victor just laughed. As they passed Hiroko on the way to Yuuri’s room, she somehow managed to pull them both into a hug.

“I’m so happy that you’re both home! Wait upstairs. I’ll make some katsudon.” She released them and cheerfully bustled back to the dining room.

“Victor, since you’re a prince, do you know any rich people who might come to stay here?” Yuuri’s father asked speculatively.

“More importantly,” Mari interjected, “if you really are courting my little brother, you and I need to have a talk.”

“Father! Mari!” Yuuri exclaimed, too embarrassed to say anything else. Although he didn’t deny that he and Victor were courting.

“Alright, I’ll look forward to it!” Victor chirped and nodded at Mari. Satisfied that they had an understanding, Mari dragged her father along and followed after her mother.

“Victor!” Yuuri groaned, apparently reduced to just repeating names.

“What?” Victor asked playfully. “Wasn’t that a proposal earlier? How else will I be able to stay close to you?”

Yuuri’s brain was melting. He was overwhelmed with happiness. Once they reached his bedroom, Victor gently lay him down on the bed and settled down next to him. It took Yuuri a long time to find any sleep, as he and Victor continued to stare adoringly at each other.

They were in love. They were betrothed. They were where they were meant to be, together at each other’s sides.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't obey my own deadlines to save my life. This could technically be considered the end? The final chapter is gonna be a really fluffy epilogue. I hope you've enjoyed this T^T

**Author's Note:**

> So I swear this is inspired by a prompt on the kinkmeme, but I can't find it??? I've been writing this since Christmas and frankly I don't know if it's any good orz It's unbeta'd as well...
> 
> It was a lot of fun to write ^///^ I expect to update weekly since I'm just polishing it up at this point :)


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